Get ready for the most Insta-worthy drink of 2022

In celebration of the Summer Solstice – the official first day of summer – Volvic has today unveiled its new and refreshingly tasty summer drink recipe, the Peri Cooler, that is set to take over TikTok due to its unique and beautiful colour and fun recipe that everyone will want to make at home.

Derived from the Volvic Touch of Fruit flavoured water, the Peri Cooler follows in the footsteps of the Volvic ‘Pink Drink’ which generated over 400m views on TikTok alone. Taking inspiration from Pantone’s hottest colour of the year, Very Peri, andcreated in partnership with Colour Expert, Tash Bradley and leading Mixologist Francesco Braun, the deliciously refreshing new summer drink fuses periwinkle tones of lilac, red, purple and green – colours known to evoke certain emotions. The #PeriCooler drink is fun to make and due to the unique colour, is set to dominate the TikTok for you page.

The Peri Cooler includes fresh lemon, yoghurt and Butterfly Pea Syrup which when combined with the unique taste and natural flavourings of Volvic Touch of Fruit Summer Fruits provides a refreshing, tasty and delectable drink that everyone will want to make this summer. To make the drink, follow the recipe below.

Peri Cooler Recipe Peri Cooler Recipe

· ½ cup of blue ice (made using Butterfly Pea Flower Tea)

· ½ cup of plain ice

· 1 tablespoon of Light & Free Danone Yoghurt or Alpro Plant Based Alternative

· 25ml Blue Flower Syrup (made from scratch) or Non- Alcoholic Blue Curacao Syrup

· 5ml Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

· 60ml of Touch of Fruit Summer Fruits

Peri Cooler Method 

Blue Ice 

Mix Butterfly Pea Tea with water into ice cube trays and freeze overnight

Butterfly Pea Tea Syrup (if applicable)

1. Add 2 grams of Butterfly Pea Flower Tea to 100ml of warm water and let it soak for 30 minutes

2. Strain the mixture twice and warm the mixture up again in a pan on the hob

3. Add 20g of stevia and stir until fully mixed

Peri Cooler Mocktail

1. Add 25 ml Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Syrup or Non-Alcoholic Blue Curacao Syrup to a shaker

2. 1 tablespoon of Danone Yoghurt or Alpro Plain Plant Based Alternative

3. 5ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice (or to your own tasting)

4. 60ml of Volvic Touch of Fruit Summer Fruits

5. Fill the shaker with the blue ice and shake well for eight seconds

6. To serve, strain into a tall glass filled with plain ice

7. Garnish with your chosen topping!

Mixologist Francesco Braun said: “I couldn’t be more excited to unveil this delicious new drink just in time for summer. We worked hard to ensure the ingredients not only complement the warmer weather, but also reflect the beautiful colour of Very Peri. The freshness of the citrus combined with Volvic Touch of Fruit Summer Fruits work wonderfully to create the perfect summer drink! Leaving you feeling refreshed and also looking good whilst drinking the beautiful drink.”

Colour Expert Tash Bradley adds “Colour psychology plays a key role in an individual’s instinctual response to a product and can potentially trigger certain emotions. The colour combinations included in the Peri Cooler drink offer an array of emotions that could help you feel refreshed.”

“Lilac, the core tone of Volvic’s Peri Cooler, is believed to be the colour of calm and reflection, and is also thought to encourage self-care with its mood boosting tones.

“With the drink reflecting Very Peri, the colour of the year, the colours in this drink may bring about positive emotions which when combined with the summer sun should bring about happy Volvic consumers!”

Volvic’s Director of Culture and Experience, Lucille Moreau said: “Summer is officially here and we’re thrilled to launch our delicious new Peri Cooler recipe, inspired by the hottest colour of the year, Veri Peri!

“Working in partnership with Colour Expert Tash Bradley and leading Mixologist Francesco Braun, we’ve created a deliciously refreshing drink that not only looks and tastes great, but will hopefully make you smile while preparing and drinking. We hope people enjoy making it in their own homes this summer as the perfect on-trend way to stay refreshed.”

For those that like to keep up with the latest trends and would like to create what is set to be the summer’s hottest drink, the ultra-instagrammable Peri Cooler recipe and method can be found on Volvic’s social channels for how to make the drink at home and join in the trend Showcase your drink using #PeriCooler and #Volvic.

*At least 2L of water per day contributes to the maintenance of normal physical and cognitive functions

Because no great adventure started with salad

A cosy recipe for a rainy May weekend, this scrummy chocolate shortbread takes less than 5 minutes to prepare and 10-15 minutes to bake.

Ingredients:

• 270g plain flour
• 75g caster sugar
• 200g butter
• 40g cocoa powder
• 1tsp vanilla extract

To decorate:

• 4tbsp icing sugar mixed with 1-2 tsp water
• Dried edible flowers

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C (fan)/gas mark 4.
• Cream together the butter and caster sugar until soft and fluffy. Sift in the flour and cocoa, stirring until well combined. If the mixture looks a little flaky, use your hands to bring the dough together.
• Roll the dough out to approximately 5-8mm thick. Cut out the shortbread biscuits and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the biscuits have set around the edges. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
• When the biscuits are completely cool, stencil the icing over the top and scatter with edible flowers. If you don’t have a stencil to hand, drizzle with icing and decorate with flowers. Store in an airtight container and enjoy within 3 days.

An easy, one-pan pudding for a relaxing Easter treat

I’ve got a nerve even calling this a recipe given it’s just a case of chucking some ingredients in a dish and popping it in the oven. You family and friends don’t have to know that though…

Golden Blonde Hot Cross Pudding

Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 5 minutes

Bake time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 packet of 4 M&S Golden Blonde Hot Cross Buns

1 x 500ml tub M&S fresh custard

100g Biscoff spread

100g M&S Golden Blonde chocolate

100g Biscoff biscuits, crushed

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C (fan)/gas mark 6
• Slice the hot cross buns in half. Spread a generous spoonful of Biscoff spread over the cut side of the bun and add a square of blonde chocolate before sandwiching back together.
• Place the buns in a 22cm (or thereabouts) round pie dish. Pour the custard over the buns.
• Bake the pudding in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the custard has started to set around the edges.
• Chop the remaining blonde chocolate and the Biscoff biscuits. Sprinkle over the top of the pudding and serve immediately.

Get ready for a very hoppy Easter

Simple yet striking, this citrussy bunny cake is speckled with thyme and white chocolate for a grown up twist. If you need to work ahead of time, the cake can be frozen for up to a month. Just pop it in the freezer and defrost thoroughly before filling.

Lemon, thyme, and white chocolate bunny cake

Prep: 30 mins

Bake time: 45-60 minutes

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

For the sponge:

• 75g unsalted butter
• 75g caster sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 50ml milk
• 90g self-raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 2tsp chopped fresh thyme

For the filling and decoration:

• 3tbsp lemon curd
• 75g unsalted butter
• 170g icing sugar
• 2-3tsp lemon juice
• 40g white chocolate
• 8-10 sprigs of fresh thyme
• Mini eggs

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C (fan)/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 4″/10cm round cake tin in preparation.
2. Cream together the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the thyme leaves and eggs.
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture a spoonful at a time, alternating with a glug of milk. Continue until mixed thoroughly.
4. Transfer the batter to the cake tin. Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
5. For the filling, whisk together the butter, icing sugar, and lemon juice until smooth. If the frosting is a little stiff, add a drop of milk to loosen.
6. Slice the cake into three even layers. Fill each layer with a good, thick dollop of frosting. Stack the layers and spread any remaining buttercream around the cake before scraping with a butter knife to create a semi-naked effect.
7. Heat the white chocolate in short spurts in the microwave. Spoon the chocolate over the edges of the cake, leaving it to create its own drip effect.
8. Take two pieces of white florists wire and bend them into two bunny ears. Wrap some thyme around the wires before inserting into the top of the cake.
9. Wind some thyme around the base of the cake. Decorate with mini eggs and serve.