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This Black Cherry Bellini is fruity, fizzy and just a little bit indulgent, with a rich black cherry base topped with Prosecco or Champagne. Add that sparkly sugar rim and a few cherries and it looks like you’ve made a huge effort, which is exactly the sort of party trick I like. The best bit? The cherry mixture can be prepared ahead so you can serve up them up in super-quick time!
“Pure class in a glass. I used fresh cherries as they are in season with sugar syrup and kirsch. Made for a special wedding anniversary party.
Love it.”
Nicky’s Notes
I love the contrast in this one. The black cherry mixture is dark, rich and intensely fruity, then the sparkling wine lightens everything up and gives it that lovely celebratory fizz.
It looks quite dramatic too. That deep ruby red colour with the sparkling sugar around the glass makes it feel special enough for Christmas or New Year, but I wouldn’t save it just for December. It makes a gorgeous welcome drink for birthdays, anniversaries and dinner parties too.
There is a little more work involved than simply pouring cherry juice into Prosecco, but that extra bit of preparation gives you a proper cherry flavour rather than a vaguely pink glass of bubbles.
Table of Contents
Is Prosecco or Champagne better for a Bellini?
I prefer Prosecco for this particular cocktail. It’s fruity, light and works beautifully with cherries.
Champagne is also delicious if you want something a little drier and more complex. Whichever you use, chill it really well.
🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card below***
Reduce the cherry juices in a pan until slightly syrupy, then cool and blend with the cherries to make a fruity purée. Dip the glass rims in lemon, then caster sugar mixed with a little edible gold glitter. Spoon the cherry purée into each glass, top with chilled prosecco or champagne, and finish with a cherry skewer.
Recipe Tips
- Get everything properly chilled before serving, including the cherry base.
- Cold ingredients help the sparkling wine hold onto its bubbles, and the finished cocktail tastes much brighter and cleaner.
Rich black cherry hits first, followed by a little warmth from the Kirsch and then the bright, crisp fizz of the sparkling wine.
It’s fruity and celebratory without tasting like you’ve poured syrup into a glass of Prosecco.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItDo you have any New Year’s resolutions? Here are mine:
- Back to regular exercise – 2-3 times a week. I did so well up until about August, and then I pretty much stopped exercising for some reason.
- No more evening snacking during the week
- Get up early and get an hour or two of work done before the kids go to school
- Go to bed earlier!
- Spend more time with the kids (point 3 should help me to finish work earlier, so I can spend more time with the kids in the evening)
Until that time……..
I’m going to enjoy the chocolate and the cocktails!
Say when……
Make ahead guide
- You can make the black cherry mixture 1–2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until needed.
- When you’re ready to serve, simply add it to the glasses and top with well-chilled Prosecco or Champagne so you keep all those lovely bubbles.
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Black Cherry Bellini Recipe
Ingredients
- 390 g (13.75 oz) jar of cherries in Kirsch*
- 500 ml (2 cups + 2 tbsp) cherry juice
- 1 bottle prosecco or champagne well chilled
To decorate glasses:
- 1 lemon
- 4 tbsp caster or superfine sugar
- ½ tsp edible gold glitter/luster powder
To serve:
- black cherries fresh or from a jar
Instructions
- Place the juice from the cherries in kirsch(just the liquid), plus the cherry juice into a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer until reduced by approx one-third (takes around 20 minutes).390 g (13.75 oz) jar of cherries in Kirsch*, 500 ml (2 cups + 2 tbsp) cherry juice
- Leave to cool, then add the cherries back in and blend using a hand blender. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days until ready to use.
- To decorate the glasses, slice a lemon in half and run the lemon around the rim of the glasses. Mix together the sugar and gold glitter/luster on a small plate, and dip the rim of the glasses in this sugar mixture.1 lemon, 4 tbsp caster or superfine sugar, 1/2 tsp edible gold glitter/luster powder
- When you're ready to serve, fill around 1/3 of each glass with the black cherry puree. Top up with prosecco or champagne. Thread 2-3 cherries through a skewer and place in each glass to decorate before serving.1 bottle prosecco or champagne, black cherries
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This black cherry bellini recipe was first posted in Dec 2017. Updated since with recipe improvements and for housekeeping reasons.
🍽️ What to serve it with
I like serving this as a welcome drink with small savoury things people can pick at rather than anything too sweet.
My French pressed sandwich bites would be lovely for a party because you can get several different fillings onto one platter.
For something a little more special, try the seafood party platter with three dips. Seafood and crisp sparkling wine are always very happy together.
If it’s more of a relaxed party spread, these mini burritos give you something salty and savoury alongside the sweet-tart cherry flavour.
🍹 More Delicious Cocktail recipes
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Instead of champagne, for the kids can I just add sparkling water? I assume the Kirch burns off any alcohol if any during the reduction.
Haven’t made it yet but I am buying all the ingredients to serve it at my husband’s birthday party. I just have to figure out the amount of ingredients as we have 40 guests. I’d like to serve a glass to each guest as they enter the party.
Pure class in a glass.
I used fresh cherries as they are in season with sugar syrup and kirsch.
Made for a special wedding anniversary party.
Love it.