There are desserts which are screamingly summer desserts. Others are a childhood recall in a jar. Rio-Style Ginger Beer Float is both. It is bubbly, ice-cold, refreshing, and the slight spicy taste of the ginger beer adds a little bit to getting the feeling you are drinking it on a sunny Copacabana afternoon
This is one float in Brazil where the flavours are held at knuckle, and the joy is in fits. You can expect to be offered it at a Sunday barbecue, at a party poolside where it is being shared communally, and perhaps during a hot and sticky day when you are alone and want something different to cool your throat. It makes people smile wherever it appears.
The factor that makes the Rio-style float different is the tropical edge. Picture to yourself creamy vanilla ice cream, ginger beer that is bubbly and a little citrus. It is a combination of self-indulgence and rejuvenation, where dessert and beverage are combined in a single glass.
When to enjoy it out
- Hot summer days
- Casual dinner parties or BBQs
- Tropical-themed gatherings
- Lazy weekend afternoons
- After spicy food (the ginger really cools the burn!)
Ingredients
- 2–3 scoops of vanilla ice cream
- 1 bottle (about 300 ml) of ginger beer (non-alcoholic or alcoholic, depending on your mood)
- 1 small lime, halved
- Lime zest (to garnish) ( 1/2 lime )
Optional: a refreshing dose of fresh mint
Substitutes
- Ginger beer: Get good ginger beer, failing which, take poorer stuff, ginger ale, which is less spicy and sweeter
- Vanilla: Ice cream pairs wonderfully with coconut ice cream or mango sorbet, adding a delicious tropical twist
- Lime: Lemon is okay, but lime is very Brazilian and much brighter in character
- Mint: An optional ingredient that adds a fresh pop and complements ginger and lime
Instructions
Step 1: Beforehand, put your serving glasses in the freezer (approximately 10 minutes). This helps keep the float chilled longer while slowing down the melting process
Step 2: Into each glass, add the juice of half a lime. This provides a sharp foundation to curb the sweetness
Step 3: Drop in two to three generous scoops of vanilla ice cream. Don’t be too neat about it — part of the charm is the way the ice cream swirls with the ginger beer
Step 4: Tilt the glass slightly and pour the ginger beer gently over the ice cream. It’ll fizz up right away. Pouring slowly keeps it from overflowing too much — but a little foam is part of the fun
Step 5: For a vibrant finish, sprinkle some freshly grated lime zest over the top and garnish with a sprig of mint. Having it ready at once, eat with a long spoon and a drinking straw
Serving Tips
- Put them in service as soon as they are made up, and when it is warm, they will thaw out speedily
- Looking to get fancy? Prepare a sugar/lime zest rim before you construct the float
- For parties, you may pre-scoop the ice cream into cups and then freeze them. Then, when the guests are ready, pour the ginger beer
- Adults only? Using a shot of spiced rum or cachaca instead, a boozy float can replace a splash
Precautions
- The ginger beer should always be chilled in advance; no one wants to have a warm soda.
- Do not fill up the glass, leave room for fizz
- In the case of making it for children, non-alcoholic ginger beer (because most brands are quite powerful!) should be used
- Make sure it is fresh lime juice and not the bottled stuff; it just lacks the same zing
More About Rio Style Ginger Beer
A Rio-Style Ginger Beer Float is a matter of the mood rather than an issue of taste. It is tropical, cheerful and a bit unexpected. All you need is a handful of ingredients and virtually no effort, and you can have something that will taste like you have a vacation in sunny Brazil inside your glass
It is also one of those desserts that come as a reminder that not everything good presented must be complicated. Sometimes it is only ice cream, bubbles and a little bit of citrus, and that can make a person smile
So go for it. Cool your glass, dish the ice cream and pour the ginger beer. Take it gradually, keep your eyes closed and then, just think that you hear the sound of waves, some soft samba coming in the distance and the Rio sun is also reaching you.
