Rumtopf

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the fruit: hull and halve the strawberries, pit the cherries, and dice the peach into bite-size pieces so they macerate quickly and are easy to spoon into glasses.

2. 2

   Place the strawberries, cherries, and peach in a clean bowl or jar. Sprinkle over the caster sugar and toss well until all fruit surfaces are lightly coated; the sugar will start drawing out juices within a few minutes.

3. 3

   Pour in the dark rum and stir gently. Make sure the fruit is fully submerged; this is essential for the classic Rumtopf method and keeps the fruit from oxidising. Let it stand for 5 minutes so the sugar begins dissolving and the fruit releases some syrup.

4. 4

   Divide the ice cubes between 2 short glasses or coupe-style bowls. Spoon in the rum-soaked fruit and top with some of the syrupy rum. For a more traditional presentation, you can also serve it in small dessert bowls without ice.

5. 5

   Finish with fresh mint leaves and serve immediately. The fruit should taste boozy, glossy, and lightly syrupy; if making ahead, transfer to a sterilised jar and refrigerate for up to 3 days for a fresher quick version.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Traditional Rumtopf is usually matured over weeks or months as different fruits come into season; this quick version captures the same flavour profile in a beginner-friendly format.
• •Use ripe, sweet fruit, since underripe fruit will taste sharp even after sugaring.
• •If you prefer a less strong drink-dessert, spoon the fruit over vanilla ice cream or dilute a little of the rum syrup with sparkling water.
• •A higher-proof rum is classic because it preserves the fruit better in long storage, but for this short version any good dark rum works.

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