Ramos Gin Fizz Recipe

Before you start

The Ramos gin fizz is a New Orleans drink known for one thing: a thick, meringue-like head that rises above the rim of the glass. Underneath is a sour made with both lemon and lime, enriched with heavy cream and egg white and perfumed with a few dashes of orange flower water. The result tastes like a citrus cream soda for adults, light in alcohol for its size.

Its reputation for absurdly long shaking is overstated. What builds the foam is a vigorous dry shake to whip the egg and cream, a short shake with a little ice to chill without heavy dilution, and soda poured in a way that pushes the foam upward. Fat and protein both matter, so use real heavy cream and a full egg white. Use pasteurized eggs, and keep cream refrigerated until the moment you shake.

Ingredients

• 60 ml (2 oz) gin — London dry or Old Tom
• 15 ml (½ oz) fresh lemon juice
• 15 ml (½ oz) fresh lime juice
• 30 ml (1 oz) simple syrup (1:1)
• 30 ml (1 oz) heavy cream — 36% fat or higher, cold
• 30 ml (1 oz) pasteurized egg white — about 1 large egg
• 3 dashes orange flower water — use a dasher bottle; it is potent
• 60 to 90 ml (2 to 3 oz) soda water — very cold
• 3 to 4 ice cubes — small, for the wet shake

Method

1. Put the Collins glass in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. Keep the soda in the fridge until needed.
2. Combine gin, lemon, lime, syrup, cream, egg white and orange flower water in the shaker. Seal it tightly.
3. Dry shake without ice for 30 to 45 seconds, hard enough to hear the liquid slap against the ends. It should feel lighter and sound muffled when it is well whipped.
4. Add only 3 or 4 small ice cubes and shake for another 30 seconds, until the tin is cold and the cubes have mostly melted. A small amount of ice keeps the foam dense.
5. Pour about 30 ml of soda into the chilled glass, then double-strain the shaken mixture on top until the glass is about three-quarters full.
6. Leave the glass to stand for 1 to 2 minutes. The foam will separate and firm up into a distinct layer on top.
7. Rinse the shaker with the remaining soda and pour it in a thin stream through the center of the foam. The head will rise above the rim. Add a straw and serve.

Tips for success

• Orange flower water strengths vary widely. Start with 2 dashes, taste, and add another if the drink seems plain.
• A tight-sealing two-piece shaker matters here; the long dry shake can push a loose cap off.
• Do not skip the rest. Pouring the last soda into settled foam gives a much taller, firmer head than topping straight away.

Substitutions

Heavy cream

Half-and-half gives a thinner foam that collapses faster. Plant-based creams vary; coconut cream works but makes the drink taste tropical.

Egg white

Aquafaba (30 ml) will foam with the cream, though the head is softer and less glossy.

Lime juice

All lemon (30 ml total) gives a softer, rounder sour. Using both is traditional and adds a sharper top note.

Variations

Ramos with vanilla

Replace 10 ml of the simple syrup with vanilla syrup for a creamsicle direction.

Troubleshooting

The cream curdled into flecks

Citrus can split cream if the mixture sits warm before shaking. Shake immediately after combining, keep the cream cold, and add citrus last.

The foam will not rise above the glass

Too much ice diluted the mix or the rest was skipped. Use only a few cubes, rest the drink, and pour the final soda slowly through the center.

It tastes soapy or perfumed

Too much orange flower water. Measure it with a dasher, not straight from the bottle, and cut back to 2 dashes.

Storage

Serve immediately. Cream and egg mixtures are perishable: discard any unused shaken mixture and do not leave the drink out more than 2 hours. Keep orange flower water tightly capped and away from light.

Safety notes

Contains raw egg white and dairy: use pasteurized eggs or carton whites, as the FDA recommends for uncooked egg. One drink has roughly 1.4 U.S. standard drinks (a standard drink is about 14 g of pure alcohol). Adults of legal drinking age only, and no driving after drinking.