My homemade Conversation Heart Rum is certainly a fun treat to make for your valentine, but once you have a batch on hand, you’re going to need some cocktail ideas to use it up. The flavored can be treated like any other flavored spirits, whether you typically use vodka or rum. It has a very pronounced flavor on its own and can add intensity to a cocktail. This means that an orange conversation heart rum can be used in place of orange or citrus rum in recipes, while a pink conversation heart rum that is strawberry flavored will blend nicely into berry-based recipes. This Sweetheart Sour is a recipe that will turn out to be delicious with just about any flavor of valentine spirits that you happen to make.
The cocktail is a rum-based version of a whiskey sour, a drink known for its sweet and sour citrus elements. I wanted a drink with a citrus base because I used orange candies in my most recently batch of Conversation Heart Rum and it had a great orange flavor as a result. The cocktail uses fresh orange and lemon juices, as well as a splash of simple syrup to bring everything together. The result is a drink that is sweet and tangy, with a great citrus flavor and a hint of both the color and flavor of conversation hearts, as well. It’s a good cocktail – and I’m willing to bet that it will really surprise you!
It is worth noting that you can make your spirit infusion with vodka instead of rum if that is what you have on hand. Vodka is more neutral, while rum as a bit of natural sweetness to it that I think works well with the candies. Both rum and vodka can be used in this cocktail and still give you good results. In my batch of conversation hearts, the pink were strawberry, yellow were lemon and orange were orange. All three of those flavors would go well in this cocktail. The green (green apple) and purple (grape) are not recommended, though those colors and flavors will give you plenty of options for other drinks!
Sweetheart Sour
1 1/2 oz Conversation Heart Rum
1 oz fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz fresh orange juice
1/2 oz simple syrup*
*Simple syrup can be made by dissolving equal parts sugar and water. It’s a great sweetener to have on hand for cocktails and drinks, from iced tea to hot coffee.
What do you think?