Amaretto Sour Slushy

The base for this make-ahead riff on an amaretto sour goes in the freezer two to five hours before serving, so the frozen cocktail doesn’t require much ice to stay chilly, even on a hot day. If your blender is less than turbo-powered, starting with crushed ice can make blending easier (if you don’t have a fridge dispenser, place ice in a sealed bag, wrap in a kitchen towel, and break up with a meat mallet or rolling pin). Be sure your simple syrup is at room temperature or chilled before you begin. Caffo Amaretto is as almondy as it gets, and it tastes like a dream. If you can’t get your hands on Caffo, both Lazzaroni and Luxardo make nice ones. We like to float a bit of bitter Fernet Branca on top of this frozen cocktail. It adds an assertive punch of bitterness that balances the nutty sweetness of the drink nicely.