This festive season, add a touch of luxury to your Christmas and New Year’s Eve cocktails! Here’s the lowdown on using gold and silver to garnish your tipples. First off, a few facts:

Are gold and silver really edible?

Pure silver and gold which between 22 and 24 carats are not toxic and do not have any ill effects when eaten in small quantities.

However, not any gold or silver will do. When sourcing these lavish garnishes, be sure to check the label and get edible gold or silver.

What does edible gold or silver taste like?

Gold and silver garnishes are flavourless and odourless. They are used because of their striking aesthetic rather than their taste or smell.

However, some powdered gold dust designed for cocktails or food has added sugar, so be wary of using too much if you want to protect the taste of your drink.

How do you use gold and silver in cocktails?

Below you’ll find five different ways you can use edible gold or silver to give your cocktails a little extra touch of glamour.

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1. Subtle shimmer

You can now buy edible gold and silver as a superfine powder that will add a subtle shimmer of gold, silver, or rose colour to your G&T or your homemade cocktails.

If you’re making a gin and tonic, add your ice, gin and a little tonic to your glass before sprinkling in half a teaspoon of edible gold or silver shimmer dust, then top up with your remaining tonic.

If you’re creating a cocktail, add the shimmer to your base syrup before adding your gin and other mixers - it’s particularly effective with prosecco or champagne! For maximum shimmering effect, stir your cocktail (carefully) right before serving.

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Image: Dellcove Spices

2. A royal rim

Give your cocktail glass an impressive, glittering rim! It looks very impressive, yet it’s super easy to do.

Simply wet the edge of the cocktail glass in a little water, then turn it upside down and press it gently into a mixture of gold or silver sprinkles (combined with a little standard sugar and/or spice, if you like). Leave to rest while you shake up your cocktail, then carefully remove from the sparkling sugar mix before straining your cocktail into the glass.

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3. Spray it again

Gold and silver dust (or ‘lustre’) can also be purchased in a spray can. For cocktails with a pillowy white foam layer, such as the Clover Club or the White Lady, you can spray your gold or silver directly onto the surface. For an even more impressive touch, use a stencil to spray on your gold in a specific pattern, like a holly leaf, for example. Wow factor guaranteed!

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4. Gleaming garnishes

Alternatively, you can use edible gold or silver to add a glamorous gleam to your dried or fresh fruit cocktail garnishes.

Simply dunk a new paintbrush in water, then the edible gold or silver, and carefully coat your slice of dried fruit in gold or silver dust!Of course, you could also use gold or silver spray to decorate your fruit!

The edible gold or silver will start to dissolve once it touches liquid, so it’s better to use a slice of fruit on the edge of your glass or on a cocktail stick to keep your garnish looking shiny and splendid.

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Image: ThirstyForTea.com

5. Gold leaf

Gold and silver leaf, the thin sheets of gold or silver foil (also known by their Indian name, varak) also look amazing when used to top your cocktail.

Because they are only a few micrometres thick, they are very delicate and wrinkle and tear easily, so we suggest using tweezers to gently place them on the surface of a cocktail.

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Here at Craft Gin Club, we’re all about experimentation, and would love to hear if you’ve tasted or tried any other ways of using gold in cocktails - have you used edible gold in any of your homemade drinks? We would love to see pictures of your creations! Tag us on Facebook or Instagram!