Wild Heart
Ruling House: Fifth
Ruling Planet: The Sun
Symbol: The Lion
Dates: July 23 - August 22
Element: Fire
ABOUT
Bold, ambitious, and extremely free-spirited, Leos are the kings and queens of the celestial jungle – in their heads at least. Their personalities are as bright and warm as their ruling planet — the Sun.
While they can often be divas and love to brag — especially about themselves — Leos are known for their unwavering loyalty, unmatched bravery, and unrelenting determination to be in charge of their own destinies.
Just like the name of this cocktail, Leos have wild hearts: no matter what they go through, their hearts continue to beat loving and strong.
This is hands down one of my top five favorite cocktails that I’ve created. That’s because it’s a modified version of my Serotonin & Sunshine. I’m personally not the biggest coconut fan, and I’ve had a year to figure out how to create the ultimate piña colada recipe.
Like in my Serotonin and Sunshine recipe, I paired my favorite fruit (bananas) with my least favorite fruit (coconuts) by making a banana infused rum. But this time I took it a step further and decided to make my own banana liqueur. If you don’t have the patience to make your own you are more then welcome to buy some, but it’s definitely worth the labor.
Liqueurs are super easy to make and I guarantee you have everything you need to make one. They consist of a spirit, a sweetener, and some type of flavor. In this case, my banana liqueur is made with rum, a Demerara sugar syrup, and ripe bananas of course.
I always suggest starting small when infusing spirits or making liqueurs. I made my first batch by adding 1 cup of white rum and 1 diced ripe banana (not too ripe) to a mason jar. I let it sit in a cool, dark space for about two week. Give it a gentle shake every day. Once the two weeks are up, strain the rum from the banana through a fine mesh strainer.
You can now prepare your Demerara sugar syrup by adding 1 cup of water and 1.5 cups of Demerara sugar to a small saucepan and bring it to a low boil. Let the syrup simmer for 5 minutes and make sure that the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove the syrup from heat and let it cool completely. Once cooled, add your banana infused rum and Demerara sugar syrup to a mason jar. Give it a gentle shake and let it sit in a cool, dark place for at least one week before use. Once your liqueur has rested for a week, it’s ready for use.
Since this cocktail is sweetened with the banana liqueur, cream of coconut, and pineapple juice, I decided to juice a 1/2 lime to add some tartness and a hint of acidity to the cocktail.
While most people like their piña coladas frozen, I prefer to make them shaken. They come out more boozy and much more flavorful.
This drink is served in a hurricane glass. Garnish with an Hawaiian flag (pineapple wedge and Maraschino cherries).
Notable Leos: President Barack Obama, Whitney Houston, James Baldwin, Jennifer Lopez, Viola Davis, Meghan Markle, Jason Momoa, Maya Rudolph, Sandra Bullock, Kobe Bryant, Elizabeth Moss, Halle Berry, Madonna, Angela Bassett, and Greta Gerwig.
Recipe Type: Cocktails
Glassware: Hurricane
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS
1.5 oz. white rum
1 oz. banana liqueur
1 oz. cream of coconut
2 oz. pineapple juice
Juice from 1/2 lime
INSTRUCTIONS
To make the banana liqueur
Prepare banana liqueur by adding 1 cup of rum and 1 diced ripe banana to a mason jar
Let it sit in a cool, dark place for at least two weeks. Gently shake daily
Once the two weeks are up, strain the rum from the banana through a fine mesh strainer
Prepare the Demerara sugar syrup by adding 1 cup of water and 1.5 cups of Demerara sugar to a small saucepan
Bring to a gentle boil and let simmer on low heat for 5 minutes
Remove from heat and let syrup cool completely
Add banana infused rum and Demerara sugar syrup to a mason jar and let sit in a cool, dark place for at least a week
Once the week is up, it’s good to use
To make the cocktail
Add white rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker
Add ice and shake for 30 seconds
Strain into a hurricane glass filled with pebbled or crushed ice
Top with 1 oz. banana liqueur
Stir if needed
Garnish with an Hawaiian flag
Enjoy