For coconut-mint syrup:
1½ cups loosely packed mint leaves
1 cup hot water
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup coconut cream
Yield: 2 cups of syrup
For Mojito:
2 ounces white rum
1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
Ice cubes
Club soda
Mint sprigs and lime wedges for garnish
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add mint leaves and boil until water is vibrant green, about 30 seconds. Immediately transfer to a large bowl of ice water. Let mint leaves stand in ice bath until completely chilled, about 2 minutes. Remove blanched leaves from water and pat dry with paper towels. In a separate bowl, stir together hot water, sugar, coconut cream, and blanched mint leaves together until combined and sugar is dissolved. Let stand until completely cool, about 5 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve and discard solids. Store in a jar in refrigerator until ready to use for up to 1 week. For Mojito, in a tall glass filled with ice, combine rum, lime juice and 1 tablespoon coconut-mint syrup. Top off with club soda and garnish with a mint sprig and a lime wedge.
Yield: 1 drink