Elevated Rhubarb Slush Spritz Recipe

Move over, strawberry jello — we have found a whole new way to make rhubarb slush that feels sophisticated and grown up while also not being so bad for you. This elevated rhubarb slush spritz combines the tartness of rhubarb with the sweetness of strawberries, and it floats them both on a sea of bubbly dry sparkling wine. It doesn't get much better than this for an updated take on a childhood classic. 

Instead of a mountain of sugar, commercial gelatin, and sickly sweet soda, our rhubarb treat starts with properly cooked strawberry rhubarb compote that you will then chill and turn into a sorbet. Flavored with honey and topped with effervescent wine, this elegant drink is a treat unlike any other.

According to Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, the secret to making this rhubarb drink actually taste sweet is combining it with peak-season strawberries. From there, the road to a perfectly balanced slushie is surprisingly short. So, go ahead and pour yourself another to indulge in the updated taste of this kid's favorite.

To make this slush, you will need a pound of rhubarb stalks with their leaves removed and the stalks sliced into 1-inch pieces (the leaves of rhubarb are toxic and shouldn't be eaten). To complement the sourness of the rhubarb, reach for 1 cup of strawberries (the riper, the better). Sugar to sweeten the deal, fresh lemon juice, and honey are all that you need that complete the slush. Finally, to turn this into a floating slushie, we need a bottle of dry sparkling wine, such as Chardonnay.

In a saucepan, combine the rhubarb, quartered strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.

Simmer over medium heat until the fruits break down, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the honey, and let cool completely.

Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish.

Freeze, scraping with a fork every 30 minutes, until frozen into a sorbet consistency, about 4 hours, or more, as needed.

Scoop the sorbet into four chilled glasses.

Fill the glasses about halfway with sparkling wine, garnish with the strawberry halves on a cocktail pick, and serve.

Though it looks impressive when made to order, there's an easy route to batching this cocktail for entertaining. To do this, make the fruit sorbet as directed and freeze it until you attain the right consistency. You can then keep it packed in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month without any changes to the texture or risk of freezer burn.

When you're ready to serve, remove the sorbet from the freezer about 15 minutes before your guests are ready for their dessert. Then, you can simply scoop it into glasses as instructed in the original recipe. To save even more time, simply blend the entire sorbet with your chosen sparkling wine or even soda. This blended mix can then be kept in the freezer for up to a week. It should also be taken out of the freezer about 10 minutes before serving to allow it to come to the right consistency.

To make a non-alcoholic version of this spritz, substitute the sparkling wine with a non-alcoholic alternative. To keep the drink's complexity, use a non-alcoholic sparkling wine or Champagne substitute, which are becoming increasingly available and advanced in their flavor. Another alternative is a non-alcoholic sparkling cider or grape juice, which will give the drink some extra sweetness and a fruity depth. If you're going this route, we recommend cutting the sugar in the sorbet by about half.

Another option is to use sparkling water or seltzer, which will maintain the effervescence of the original recipe without sweetening it further. This also helps lighten the drink. If you have a serious sweet tooth, consider using lemon-lime soda or ginger ale to complement the tartness of the rhubarb — you will again want to cut the sugar in half.

Finally, if you're not so concerned about the alcohol, you can play with different fruit combinations alongside the rhubarb. Substitute half of the strawberries with raspberries, or add a handful of gooseberries or currants for a tangy boost. You could also add a pinch of herbs, such as mint, basil or thyme, to instill a refreshing and aromatic element.

If you take the sorbet out of the freezer about 15 minutes before serving, you can layer the drink by gently pouring the sparkling wine over the back of a spoon and onto the frozen slush. This creates a beautiful, gradient effect in the glass.