*This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclaimer here. While we may use affiliate links, we would never allow this to influence product listings or recommendations.
The Pornstar Martini… crowned the UK’s favourite cocktail in 2019. Despite the questionable name, it’s a great year-round tipple. Refreshing enough for warm summer months, and fancy enough for the festive season. Read on for both the original recipe and substitutions in case you don’t have certain things to hand.
If you are looking for an alcohol-free version then check out this Pornstar Martini Mocktail.
What is a Pornstar Martini?
A Pornstar Martini is a cocktail that is both strong and sweet, making it the perfect drink for those who enjoy a little bit of everything. Needless to say, its popularity has exploded over the years, and you’ll find it in bars worldwide. The drink is made with vodka, passion fruit liquor and passion fruit syrup, although you can adapt it with different variations and substitutions to suit your tastes and what you have available.
The cocktail is not really a relative of the standard martini (it doesn’t actually contain vermouth). However, it is typically served in a martini or coupe glass. It is also garnished with a passion fruit half and a shot of prosecco or champagne on the side.
How did it get its name?
The drink was invented in the early 2000s in The Townhouse, a bar in London. it was created by Douglas Ankrah who could never have predicted the cocktail’s rise to fame at the time.
The drink was first christened the ‘Maverick Martini’, inspired by a strip club called the Maverick in Cape Town, which Ankrah had visited. He said that the name was actually in honour of the beautiful girls who worked there. Later he went on to introduce the name ‘Pornstar Martini’ as he felt it embodied the characteristics of the drink: Confident, powerful and sexy. He believed it was something that a pornstar would order.
Ankrah claims that either name can be used for the drink. So if you are serving a batch to your parents or in-laws, you can use the name ‘Maverick Martini’. With friends, you can use the name ‘Pornstar Martini’. You may also see it referred to as a ‘Passion Fruit Martini’, particularly amongst family-friendly retailers.
How do you drink it?
There is much debate about how to approach the consumption of a Pornstar Martini, much of it incorrect. Guidance straight from Ankrah himself explains that:
- Use a spoon (it should officially be served with one) to scoop out the passion fruit piece. Then scoop out the pulp and seeds and eat them with the spoon. Discard the remaining skin.
- Drink the martini, taking an occasional alternating sip of the prosecco or champagne. Whatever you do DO NOT pour the prosecco into the drink.
So there you have it, the sparkling shot is intended as a palate cleanser rather than an extra ingredient for the drink. You can read more information on how to drink a Pornstar Martini here.
Should it be served with prosecco or champagne?
The short answer is that you can use either prosecco or champagne with a pornstar martini. It is most commonly served with prosecco given that it is less costly and widely available. However, you can use champagne if you want to make the drink even more decadent.
You could alternatively use any other variety of sparkling wine you have available such as Cava. Personally, I actually prefer prosecco, given its drier taste.
How do I get a frothy top?
Depending on what ingredients you use, you may find it tricky to get a frothy head on your cocktail. However, if you are desperate for a bit of foam, you have two options. The most common way to add froth to cocktails is to add some egg white. While this may seem a little strange if you’ve not tried it before, it is the easiest way to build texture without altering the flavour. One egg white will work for around 2-3 cocktails.
An alternative method is to add some pineapple juice to your drink. If shaken vigorously enough pineapple juice will froth up, allowing you to pour a foamier drink.
Ingredients
Jump to the recipe card for a printable version.
- 50ml Vanilla vodka
- 25ml Passoa (or other passion fruit liquor)
- 50ml Passion fruit syrup
- Handful of ice
- Passion fruit, sliced in half
- Prosecco or champagne
Substitutions
I searched high and low to find the OG pornstar martini recipe. And I managed to stumble on a masterclass from the original creator of the pornstar martini, Douglas Ankrah, making one himself. The recipe I list outlines the authentic, original ingredients excluding vanilla sugar (because I just find it too sweet with it). However, you can get creative with what you have available or prefer to include. Ankrah himself has stated that “Every bar has its own version and I’m cool with it.”
Make it without Passoa
Passoa is a passion fruit flavoured liquor. So you can swap it for a different brand with pretty much the same result. However, if you don’t have any available (or if, like me, you can’t easily buy it where you live) then you can use any of the following. Naturally, the taste will be slightly different, but the cocktail will turn out just fine:
- Pineapple liquor
- Passion fruit juice
- Passion fruit puree (the drink will be a little thicker with puree rather than juice)
Use standard vodka instead
Vodka tends to sit in my cupboard for a long time as it is, so having a variety of different flavours seems quite a waste. Instead of rushing out to grab a bottle of vanilla vodka, you can simply add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract.
Make it sweeter with added sugar
The original recipe for a Pornstar Martini does include vanilla sugar. However, I find that the passion fruit syrup makes it perfectly sweet enough. However, if you do want it on the sweeter side you can add 1-2 tsp of vanilla sugar, or 15ml vanilla syrup, depending on how sweet you want the end result.
If you don’t have any vanilla sugar or syrup you can alternatively use:
- Normal sugar, plus an additional 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
- 15ml simple syrup, with an added 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
Cut the sweetness with lime juice
We all love a pornstar martini, but it is a bit on the sweet side. Particularly if you are following the original recipe which uses a large serving of sugary passionfruit syrup. If you want to make it a little less saccharine then add a tablespoon or two of lime juice. The added zest will give a little extra flavour too white the juice cuts through some of the sweetness.
How to make it
For more detailed instructions and tips, jump to the printable recipe card.
- Add the vodka, Passoa, passion fruit syrup and ice to a cocktail shaker.
- Shake well for at least 10-15 seconds.
- Strain the cocktail into a martini or coupe glass.
- Top each glass with half a piece of passion fruit, facing upwards.
- Serve with the champagne or prosecco on the side.
Products that work great for this recipe
Bamboo Bartender & Cocktail Kit
Cocktail Spoon Straws
Pineapple Cocktail Picks
Pornstar Martini
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Description
The Pornstar Martini is a decadent, fruity and delicious cocktail. Refreshing enough for warm summer evenings, yet special enough for the festive season.
The default recipe serves 1.
Ingredients
- 50ml vanilla vodka (see note 1)
- 25ml Passoa (or other passion fruit liquor) (see note 2)
- 50ml passion fruit syrup (see note 3)
- handful of ice
- 1 passion fruit, sliced in half
- 50ml prosecco or champagne
Instructions
- Add the vodka, Passoa and passion fruit syrup to a cocktail shaker and top with ice.
- Shake the cocktail vigorously – for at least 10-15 seconds.
- Strain the drink into a coupe or martini glass. You can use a cocktail strainer or a small fine-mesh sieve. (see note 4)
- Carefully add one half of the passion fruit to the glass, with the seeds facing upwards.
- Serve with the champagne or prosecco in a shot glass on the side.
Notes
- If you only have regular vodka then you can use that along with 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract instead.
- No Passoa? Use any variety of passion fruit liquor, or failing that pineapple liquor. You can also use passion fruit juice instead.
- You can use passion fruit puree instead of syrup which will give a thicker consistency to the cocktail. If you do so I recommend also adding 15ml of vanilla syrup or simple syrup mixed with 1/4 tsp of vanilla essence as the drink will be more tart. Alternatively you can add 2 tsp of vanilla sugar.
- For best results place the glasses in the freezer for a few minutes before serving, or fill with ice for a few minutes and tip out when you are about to pour the drinks.
- Don’t fill the glass right to the top. There should be a gap of around one finger between the top of the glass and the drink to allow you to easily add the passion fruit half to the glass.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: Drink
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 427
- Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 63G
- Protein: 1g
Keywords: cocktail, vodka, drink, passion fruit, sweet, refreshing
