Low Carb Spiced Pear Bellini Cocktail. A truly festive delight for everyone to enjoy. 5g carbs and 108 calories.
There’s something about the festive season that makes imbibing de rigueur. Even for non-drinkers like myself.
Question is: can alcohol fit within a keto or low carb lifestyle? The answer is YES! In moderation, of course. And with judicious selection.
Whilst you probably already know that neat spirits such as Gin, Vodka, Whisky and Brandy contain zero carbs, you may not realise that certain wines are very low carb. And it might come as a surprise that Prosecco and Champagne can be excellent choices.
The caveat is that drinking any kind of alcohol regularly is never a good idea. Aside from being a poison and damaging your liver (as well as your immune system in the long term), it will stop you ditching weight, whatever dietary lifestyle you’ve chosen.
How to Avoid High Carb Wines
Nutrition information on alcoholic drinks isn’t compulsory, so how does one choose without the aid of a label?
Wine goes through a process of fermentation during which yeast eats up the grape sugars. The longer the fermentation, the less sugar remains. Residual sugar content is what determines carb content. So. If a wine tastes sweet it’s definitely high in carbs. If a wine tastes ‘dry’ and makes your mouth pucker, it’s low in carbs.
Without a shadow of a doubt, the best quality low carb wines are those from France and Italy, labeled Extra-Brut, Brut, orExtra-Dry. I recommend avoiding Rosé, Moscato, Sweet and Dessert types. As well as very cheap wines. They often have had sugar added to compensate for poor quality grapes and reduced fermentation times. Sparkling or flat makes no difference to carb content.
The most superior Prosecco (whether still or sparkling) is made from Glera grapes grown in Valdobbiadene, Montello and surrounding areas (Treviso province – Veneto region). To be certain that you’re buying the real deal, look for D.O.C. or D.O.C.G. on the label and check if the producer address says TV (Treviso).
Bellini, Rossini, Mimosa, Buck’s Fizz: What’s the Difference?
There are plenty of variations around, but for traditional cocktails, here’s the lowdown:
Bellini: Italian origin. 1 part white peach purée + 3 parts Prosecco. Served in a wine glass.
Rossini: Italian origin. 1 part strawberry purée + 3 parts Prosecco. Served in a wine glass.
Mimosa: French origin. Equal parts of Champagne + orange juice. If you order this in Italy, it will likely contain Prosecco rather than Champagne. Served in a tall fluted glass.
Buck’s Fizz: British origin. Same as Mimosa, but more Champagne than orange juice.
They all need well-chilled ingredients. No ice.
Interestingly, wine glasses are regarded as the best option for Italian Prosecco, because the wider opening enables the aromatics in the wine to reach the senses, delivering a better experience (according to the Italian Sommelier Association).
I serve my Low Carb Spiced Pear Bellini Cocktail in a fluted glass purely to add a festive vibe. Apologies to any Master Sommelier out there who might disapprove.
Cheers!
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Low Carb Spiced Pear Bellini Cocktail
Ingredients
- 200 g conference pear - 1 large pear, semi-ripe
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/16 tsp ground clove
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
- 1 thumb-size piece fresh ginger root
- 30 drops unflavoured liquid stevia (U.S. option HERE)
- 480 g Prosecco (see Notes)
Instructions
- top and tail the pear, peel it, halve it and remove core and central stalk (you should obtain 140g net); cut the halves into small cubes and place them in a food processor or hand blender bowl.200 g conference pear
- peel the ginger, cut it to fit into a garlic press and squeeze it over the food processor bowl to let the juice drop into it; if you like more zing, let the pulp drop as well, if not, discard it; best not use the fibre left behind inside the garlic press.1 thumb-size piece fresh ginger root
- add the spices and sweetener, then blitz to a compote; check that there are no large pear chunks remaining - a few small pieces are fine and add a pleasant crunch.⅛ tsp ground cinnamon, 1/16 tsp ground clove, 1 pinch ground white pepper, 30 drops unflavoured liquid stevia
- taste it and adjust spices and sweetness to your preference.
- place a flute glass over weighing scales and tare (zero), slowly pour in 60g Prosecco, let the bubbles settle, then add 35g of pear compote - 1 teaspoon at a time - stirring until fizz and bubbles reduce; top with the remaining 60g Prosecco and stir again.480 g Prosecco
- repeat the last step for each of the remaining glasses and serve.
Notes
The same applies to Champagne. You can make the spiced pear compote 1 day ahead, so you don't need to faff when guests arrive. Mixing compote and Prosecco slowly will minimise the fizz and avoid overflow. N.B. The precise carbohydrate and calorie content of any wine depends on the length of the fermentation process and quantity (if any) of added sugar during processing. I have calculated the nutrition according to database averages (quadram.ac.uk). Unless otherwise indicated, use Metric Kitchen Scales to measure ingredients accurately (U.S. option HERE).
Nutrition
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