There is no better way to get into the summer mood than with glasses of strawberry and passion fruit caipirinha! The alcohol used is cachaça, that wonderful Brazilian liquor that pairs fantastically well with fresh fruit, especially citrus. Fresh and easy to make, it's perfect for long days and sunsets.
What is Caipirinha?
It's a cocktail that uses cachaça, which is a Brazilian liquor, distilled from sugarcane. It's clear and is used similarly to tequila or rum.
Caipirinha is originally made with limes, sugar, and cachaca, and served over ice.
But in modern times fruits are added, and you can find many iterations.
In South America though, we still drink it the traditional way more than any other.
Adding fruit
The combination of strawberries and passion fruit works. Not only in this drink.
They balance each other, add different types of acidity, and have a synergy together that is amazing. It's like you taste both fruits by themselves but also individually.
So they found their way into a caipi (short for caipirinha around here).
The thing is to add the right amount for it to have enough of both fruits and liquor without them overpowering each other. Passion fruit, with its lemony side, substitutes the original lime.
Simple steps
- Put sugar and fruit in the glasses you want to serve the drink.
- With a muddler (a bartender tool used to mash or muddle fruit, similar to the pestle) mash the fruit and sugar. It will start to release juices and become soupy (image below).
- Add cachaca and ice.
- Drink before it waters down too much.
Truth is I first became enthralled with this fruit mixture due to a caipiroska a bartender friend made for me once.
Some years ago, while looking into the possibility of opening a bar with some friends, we had a few drink-making demonstrations, preparing of the mise en place and all that accompanies cocktail-making.
Have you ever set up an informal bar at a party? It's so much fun.
Preparing the fruit
- Strawberries: there's not much to prepare, but it's always better if they are in season because they are sweeter. Wash, stem, and cut into small pieces so it's easier to mash with the sugar.
- Passion fruit: I use fresh juice whenever I can. And it's a good idea to strain it (image below). It will leave out some of the pulp, but also the seeds, which will not work completely, as they will block a straw or be uncomfortable to bite into with each sip. But it's your call. You can leave them.
I consider passion fruit citrus. And an intoxicating one.
The smell when I cut it in half is so unique, and when I run a finger through some of the juice that remains on the counter the words that pop into my mind are fresh acid.
There's a freshness about passion fruit that I can't find in any other fruit. It has nothing to do with the juice itself, it's the smell of it.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Ice: I use regular ice from my home freezer. But if you have access to more professional larger ice cubes so much the better. They last more so the drink takes longer to water down.
- Glasses: use glasses that can hold everything and have a flat base. You need it to muddle without breaking it (seriously, it almost happened to me once). Don't use martini glasses for example.
- Fruit: you can use other fruits, but this combination is the bomb! Be careful not to add too much. Test it with one drink. You should taste both the fruits and the liquor. If you use too much fruit you won't have enough space for the ice and the balance will not be right.
- Personal taste: adjust sugar, ice, and cachaca to your taste (image below, before adding the liquor). And use that ratio as a guide no matter what fruit you use.
- Sweetener: you can use simple syrup instead of sugar. To make it, simply heat the same amount of sugar and water (½ cup of each for example), and when it comes to a boil remove it from the heat. Let cool completely and keep refrigerated.
- This is the homemade way of making this drink. If you have a cocktail shaker, use it to mix the muddled fruit with the vodka and the ice.
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Strawberry Passion Fruit Caipirinha
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh strawberries, hulled, cut into chunks
- 5 tablespoons sugar, or simple syrup, see notes below
- ½ cup passion fruit juice, with or without pulp, your choice
- 4 ounces Cachaça, Brazilian liquor
- ice
- cocktail straws, to serve
Instructions
- To get passion fruit juice, simply sieve it through a strainer. The type of holes in it will determine whether some pulp goes through or not.
- Divide ½ cup fresh strawberries and 5 tablespoons sugar between two glasses. With a muddler, start crushing the fruit with the sugar, until it becomes syrupy. Do this slowly and take your time. It's the base of the drink.
- Add ice to almost fill each glass, and then pour ½ cup passion fruit juice, dividing equally between the glasses.
- Add 4 ounces Cachaça, dividing equally between the glasses.
- Stir until it mixes well, decorate with a strawberry half and serve with cocktail straws.
Sara says
Oh my gosh, I haven't had a caipirinha in YEARS, and this is the perfect caipirinha to make for the hot summer days! The strawberry and passion fruit are soooo good and refreshing together!
LaKita says
This looks like the perfect cocktail to sip on during the hot summer months. Love that you combined strawberry and passion fruit, I definitely do not use passion fruit enough!
Daniela says
Wow this Caipirinha recipe immediately brought back so many amazing memories from Brazil! Thanks for the inspiration to make my own :)!
GUNJAN C Dudani says
This is absolutely a fresh and a new idea for me. I have never tried anything like this one. Definitely making it tonight.
Jacqui DeBono says
I will be honest, fruity cocktails are my weakness! I love to be outside in the summer, watching the sun go down with a sunset coloured cocktail! Perfection!
Eva says
Passion fruit is unfortunately not a fruit I'm familiar with. Your description made me want to know it more, I'm really intrigued. We do get some imported exotic fruits here so I'll try to keep an eye out for passionfruit at my grocery store. I really feel like that is the challenge I need, and this caipi looks like the perfect reward. Luckily I'm well covered whe it comes to strawberries!!
Paula Montenegro says
You can find frozen passion fruit pulp many times. And it works really well. Hope you enjoy it! Have a great week.
Bernice Hill says
I love a well made caipirinha...and adding extra fruity flavours is a delicious idea. That strawberry and passionfruit combo is perfection!
Maggie Unzueta says
What a refreshing drink. I'll have to save this for the next time my hubby and I have a date night.
Sharon says
I am os here for this summertime drink. The passion fruit is a great compliment to the strawberry.
rohit says
thank you vintagekitchennotes for giving me wonderful information