You only need about 10 minutes to make this lovely Peach Apricot Bellini. Below are clear instructions for enjoying this bright cocktail year-round, even when fresh peaches are out of season.
To me, peach season is one of the highlights of summer. Peaches have that unmistakable sunny flavor that translates beautifully into cocktails.
This Peach Apricot Bellini captures that flavor and makes it easy to enjoy any time of year.
What’s the origin of a Bellini?
The Bellini was invented in the mid-20th century by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy. During the brief local season for ripe white peaches, he combined peach purée with prosecco to create a delicate pink cocktail.
Cipriani’s original ratio was roughly one part purée to two parts prosecco. The drink’s pale pink color reminded him of a hue in a painting by Giovanni Bellini, and the name stuck.
Bellini ingredients
- A ripe peach and a ripe apricot form the base of the fruit purée.
- A little lemon juice and brown sugar brighten and balance the fruit.
- Prosecco provides the bubbles; a dry sparkling wine or cava can be substituted.
White peaches are traditional, but yellow peaches work wonderfully too and are easier to find in many places. Adding apricot introduces a touch of tartness and complexity, making the Bellini slightly more interesting than a single-fruit version.
How to make a Bellini
Start by removing the pits from the peach and apricot and roughly chopping the fruit. Put the pieces in a food processor (or a high-speed blender) with the lemon juice and brown sugar. Purée until smooth.
Pass the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spatula to extract as much silky juice as possible. Discard the solids.
The strained purée should be smooth and ready for cocktails. To assemble a Bellini, spoon about 1 tablespoon of the fruit purée into a champagne flute or coupe and top with chilled prosecco, pouring gently. Add more purée if you prefer a sweeter, fruitier drink. Serve immediately.
How to freeze fruit purée
Giuseppe Cipriani himself developed a simple trick to serve Bellinis year-round: freeze the puréed fruit. Portion the leftover purée into ice cube trays and freeze. Once solid, transfer the cubes to a resealable, freezer-safe bag. They’ll keep for several months and make it easy to enjoy fresh-tasting Bellinis out of season.
If you want to experiment, try other stone fruits: plums, nectarines, or a nectarine-apricot blend all work well and offer subtly different flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prosecco is traditional. You can also use a dry sparkling wine or cava.
Either a coupe or a champagne flute works. A coupe makes a pretty presentation; a flute retains bubbles longer.
Yes. White peaches are traditional, but yellow peaches, nectarines, apricots, or other stone fruits are great substitutes.
A food processor works best, but a high-speed blender can be used. If needed, add a splash of orange juice to help the blender get going.
Serving suggestions
Serve Bellinis in either a champagne flute or a coupe. Coupes are enjoying a resurgence in cocktail culture and create an elegant, vintage presentation, while flutes hold carbonation longer.
I served these Peach Apricot Bellinis at a Southern-style brunch alongside a full spread of brunch dishes. They pair especially well with savory bites like bacon and richer breakfast dishes.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating or a comment below!
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Peach Apricot Bellini
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Ingredients
- 1 ripe peach
- 1 ripe apricot
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 bottle prosecco or sparkling wine, chilled
Instructions
- Remove pits from the peach and apricot and chop roughly. Place the fruit in a food processor or high-speed blender with the lemon juice and brown sugar. Purée until smooth.
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the purée through the strainer, pressing with a spatula to release as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of the fruit purée into a champagne glass. Gently fill the rest of the glass with chilled prosecco. Serve immediately.
Notes
I used La Marca prosecco for this recipe, but any dry sparkling wine will do.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 9 g
Protein: 1 g
Fat: 1 g
Sodium: 10 mg
Potassium: 173 mg
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 8 g
Vitamin A: 194 IU
Vitamin C: 3 mg
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