Nikita

Nikita (Portuguese Cream, Wine & Pineapple Cocktail)

Nikita is a long, refreshing Portuguese cocktail traditionally sipped as an aperitif on warm summer afternoons in the Algarve. Creamy, fruity and faintly boozy, it is built directly in the glass over ice and stirred, no shaker required.

Prep

5 min

Total

5 min

Serves

1 large glass (about 350 ml)

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •80 ml (⅓ cup) white wine, dry Portuguese Vinho Verde or other crisp dry white; the small amount of alcohol cooks off nothing, so choose one you would happily drink
• •80 ml (⅓ cup) fresh pineapple juice, freshly pressed from ripe pineapple is traditional; bottled will work but is sweeter
• •60 ml (¼ cup) heavy / whipping cream, full-fat (min. 30% fat); do not substitute with milk or half-and-half, the drink will not emulsify
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) simple syrup, optional, only if your pineapple is quite tart; traditional Algarve recipe usually omits it
• •120 g (about 1 cup) ice cubes
• •1 slice fresh pineapple, for garnish

Steps

1. 1 Fill a tall highball or Collins glass (about 350-400 ml / 12-14 oz capacity) to the rim with ice cubes.
2. 2 Pour the white wine over the ice, followed by the fresh pineapple juice. If using syrup for extra sweetness, add it now.
3. 3 Pour the cold heavy cream slowly over the back of a long spoon held just above the surface of the liquid so it floats as a pale layer on top — do not stir it in yet.
4. 4 Gently stir once with the spoon, just enough to marble the cream through the wine and juice; the drink should turn a uniform pale straw / creamy-yellow colour with a slightly frothy surface. Stop stirring the moment it looks blended — over-stirring will thin it out and lose the characteristic velvety body.
5. 5 Garnish the rim with a fresh pineapple slice (or a small wedge on a cocktail pick) and serve immediately with a straw and a long spoon.
6. 6 Safety: drink within 10-15 minutes of making, before the ice melts and dilutes the emulsion. Because the drink contains raw dairy (cream) and fresh fruit juice at ice-cold temperature, consume it promptly; do not leave it sitting at room temperature for more than 30 minutes.