ALL IN THE MIX

THE MIXALL IN

TikTok sensation Coinneach MacLeod, better known as The Hebridean Baker, shares some unmissable cocktails to enliven your Hogmanay celebrations

If you’re looking for a good ol’ Scottish knees-up, you’ve come to the right place, writes Rosie Morton. Whether you are hoping to start the Christmas party games with a bang, or enliven the Hogmanay celebrations, TikTok sensation Coinneach MacLeod – better known to his troupes of devoted followers as ‘The Hebridean Baker’ – has you covered with his fabulously festive cocktails. ‘The one recipe that got people the most excited was the “Cèilidh Martini”,’ says Coinneach, who hails from Cromore on the Isle of Lewis. ‘Myself and one of the storytellers at the Isle of Harris Distillery created it together. Even though nobody knew what was in it, they wanted to try it!’ Having won the hearts of millions across the globe after sharing his Scottish-inspired recipes on the social media platform, Coinneach has launched his own cookbook, The Hebridean Baker, amalgamating his top recipes, stories, and quirks of island life in the hope of encouraging more people to live life in the slow lane. ‘Somebody asked me if there was a Gaelic translation for the Danish word Hygge,’ he says. ‘We use the word Blàths. It means “contentment” or “warmth”. There’s a lovely phrase, beiridh blàths air luaths, which means “there is a time for everything”. I wanted the book to refl ect that.’

PREPARING FOR THE CÈILIDH MARTINI...

GRAPEFRUIT OLEO & GRAPEFRUIT SYRUP

2 grapefruits 200g sugar, plus sugar for the syrup

METHOD FOR OLEO: First peel the grapefruits in full. Put the grapefruit peels into a bowl and sprinkle the sugar over the peels. Muddle the peels and sugar. The sugar will dissolve in the oils released by the citrus peel.

Once all the peels have been muddled, cover the bowl with a dish towel and leave it for 24 hrs, stirring occasionally. Once complete, extract the oleo by squeezing the liquid through a muslin or clean kitchen towel. Refrigerate until required. METHOD FOR SYRUP: Slice the peeled grapefruits in half, juice them and pour the juice through a sieve into a clean saucepan. For the syrup, we will do a simple 1:1 ratio of juice to sugar, so add the same weight of sugar to juice.

Add the sugar to the pan and stir over a medium heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Let it cool and refrigerate.

CÈILIDH MARTINI

SERVE IN: Martini glass

60ml Isle of Harris gin 5ml grapefruit syrup 5ml grapefruit oleo

METHOD: Fill a stirring glass with good ice.

Add the gin, grapefruit syrup and grapefruit oleo. Stir for at least 30 seconds, taste and continue stirring, checking every 10 seconds or so until you are happy with the dilution level.

Pour into a chilled martini glass.

HEBRIDEAN HOGMANAY COCKTAIL

SERVE IN: Whisky tumbler

3 tbsp marmalade 200ml herbal tea (choose your favourite) 1 clementine, juiced 50ml whisky – roughly a double dram 5-6 ice cubes, enough to fill your whisky glass

METHOD: Scoop your marmalade into a large mug. Get the kettle on, then make a cup of your favourite herbal tea and once it’s steeped, pour over your marmalade and stir until combined. Let that cool. Squeeze the juice from the clementine.

To assemble, fill a whisky tumbler with ice, pour in the double dram of whisky, the clementine juice and the cooled marmalade-infused tea. Garnish and serve your guests!

ATHOLL BROSE

SERVE IN: Martini glass

250ml whisky (I recommend a Jura Seven Wood) 70g oats 3 tsp heather honey 40ml double/whipping cream

METHOD: Pour the whisky over the oats in a bowl and rest under a clean dishtowel for 24 hours.

The next day, use a muslin (or cotton dishtowel) to squeeze out the whisky into a fresh bowl. Be sure to get every last drop! You can discard the oats.

Warm up your honey for 10 seconds in the microwave – or very gently in a pan on the stove – and whisk into the Brose mix. Add your cream and whisk again. You can drink it now, but it’s even better if you let it rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours in a sealed container. Make sure you shake it before serving. You’ll find it’s perfect as an after-dinner sweet treat.

You will find more of Coinneach MacLeod’s delicious island-inspired recipes in his new book The Hebridean Baker: Recipes and Wee Stories from the Scottish Islands [Black & White Publishing, RRP £20.00]. Alternatively, you can follow him on TikTok @hebrideanbaker, or visit his website at www.hebrideanbaker.com