Holiday Champagne Punch

By HazyWaters

Ingredients

• Water
• 1 pint strawberries
• 1 pound seedless green grapes
• 8-10 small mint leaves
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1/4 cup black raspberry flavor liqueur
• 3 Tbsp. Sugar
• 1 liter club soda, chilled
• 1 750 milliliter bottle champagne or sparkling white wine

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare ice ring: Fill 5 cup ring mold with 1/4 in. water; freeze until firm. Reserve 8 strawberries; slice remaining strawberries. On ice in ring mold, arrange 1/2 of sliced strawberries, 1/2 grapes and enough water just to cover fruit (fruit should not float. Freeze until firm. Repeat with remaining strawberry slices and 1/2 cup grapes and enough water to cover fruit; freeze until firm.
With kitchen shears, cut remaining grapes into small bunches; alternately arrange grape bunches and reserved whole strawberries in ring mold. Tuck leaves here and there between grapes and strawberries. Add enough water to come up to the rim of the mold, allowing some fruit to extend above water, freeze until firm.

About 15 minutes before serving, in shallow 5 quart punch bowl, large enough to hold ice ring, combine orange juice, black raspberry liqueur, and sugar. Gently stir in chilled club soda and champagne.

To serve, unmold ice ring and add to punch bowl, fruit side up.