Icy Lemon-Ginger Cocktails

By mytastytreasures

Slushy, potent cocktails are easy to make in batches. Ideal for parties, prep can be done way in advance!

Ingredients

• One 3 inch piece of fresh ginger,
• peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• Finely grated zest of one lemon
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 8 cups crushed ice
• 2 cups vodka
• 8 mint sprigs, for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a smalll saucepan, combine the sliced ginger with the water and sugar and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, then let the ginger syrup cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and puree. Strain the syrup into a lare shallow glass dish. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Cover and freeze the lemon-ginger syrup until firm, about 4 hours.

2.Let the frozen lemon-ginger mixture stand at room temperature or 5 minutes. Chop the mixtureinto large pieces. Put half the pieces in a blender. Add4 cups crushed ice and 1 cup vodka. Blend until slushy. Pour the vodka cocktail into 4 glasses, garnish each with a mint sprig. Serve. repeat with remaining mixture.

**The lemon-ginger mixture can be forzen for up to 1 week.