Witches' Brew Punch

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
• 1 cup black cherry juice
• 2 cups brewed hibiscus tea, cooled
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 oz elderflower liqueur
• 1/2 cup simple syrup infused with 4 whole cloves and 2 star anise
• 1 liter ginger beer, chilled
• 4 wide strips orange peel, curled
• 12 fresh blackberries, for skewers
• 6–8 small cubes food-grade dry ice

Steps

1. 1

   1. Simmer the cloves and star anise in sugar and water for 5 minutes to make the spiced simple syrup, then cool completely.

2. 2

   2. Blend the blackberries with the cherry juice until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds.

3. 3

   3. Combine the blackberry mixture, hibiscus tea, orange juice, elderflower liqueur, and spiced syrup in a large punch bowl and stir well.

4. 4

   4. Thread three blackberries onto each small skewer and curl orange peel strips by wrapping them tightly around a chopstick for 30 seconds.

5. 5

   5. Just before serving, pour in the chilled ginger beer and gently add dry ice using tongs — never touch dry ice with bare hands.

6. 6

   6. Garnish with the blackberry skewers and curled orange peels resting on the rim, and ladle into glasses immediately while the fog rolls.