Hugo in the Thermomix® stands or falls on one single point: the Prosecco goes in last and is poured in slowly at speed 1. Anyone who adds the Prosecco with the other ingredients at speed 4 destroys the fizz and ends up with a flat elderflower drink instead of a sparkling long drink.
We have been making Hugo for barbecues and birthday parties for years. The recipe is simple: 4 limes, 140 g elderflower syrup, 400 g ice cubes, 750 g Prosecco and fresh mint. Ready in 4 minutes, makes 4 large glasses of 400 ml each.
Hugo in the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 5 ✓
- 4 limes
- 400 g ice cubes
- 140 g elderflower syrup
- 750 g Prosecco
- 4 sprigs mint
Instructions 0 / 3
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1
Mix the ingredients.
Squeeze the limes, then add the juice to the mixing bowl together with the ice cubes and syrup. Mix for 15 sec / reverse direction / speed 4.
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2
Add the Prosecco.
Set to speed 1 and slowly pour in the Prosecco.
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3
Serve.
Pour the Hugo into glasses and garnish with mint.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why limes instead of lemons
Hugo is classically made with lime juice, not lemon juice. The difference is noticeable: limes have more essential oils in the zest and a more aromatic flavour. Lemon juice is sharper, overpowers the elderflower syrup and makes the drink too tart. If you only have lemons, use 3 instead of 4 and reduce the quantity to about 80 ml of juice. Limes are the better choice though.
Crush the ice, do not leave it whole
The 400 g of ice cubes are mixed with the lime juice and the syrup at speed 4 for 15 seconds. The ice gets crushed but not completely pulverised. The result: small pieces of ice that float in the glass and keep the Hugo ice cold. If you leave the ice cubes whole, the drink stays lukewarm. If you mix for too long, the ice turns to slush and dilutes the Hugo too much.
Add the Prosecco at speed 1
Once the lime juice, ice and syrup are combined, set the Thermomix® to speed 1 and slowly pour the Prosecco in through the lid. Speed 1 stirs gently without destroying the bubbles. This takes about 20 to 30 seconds. If you add the Prosecco at speed 4 or higher, the carbonation escapes and the Hugo tastes flat. That is the most common mistake with this recipe.
Elderflower syrup: homemade or shop-bought
We use our own homemade elderflower syrup made in the Thermomix® for Hugo. It is more intense than shop-bought syrup and contains no artificial flavourings. If you use shop-bought syrup, make sure it is not too sweet. Some supermarket syrups contain a lot of sugar and very little elderflower. In that case, reduce the quantity to 100 g instead of 140 g and taste as you go.
Mint: fresh and not crushed
The 4 mint sprigs do not go into the mixing bowl. They are used only as a garnish. Lay them on top of the finished drink or clip them to the rim of the glass. If you crush the mint beforehand or blend it in, the Hugo turns bitter. Fresh mint releases a light aroma without dominating the drink. Dried mint does not work, it adds no flavour at all.
Serve Hugo straight away
Hugo is a drink that must be served immediately after preparation. If it sits for too long, the bubbles escape and the ice melts. The drink then becomes watery and lukewarm. If you are making Hugo for a group, prepare the base of lime juice, ice and syrup in advance and add the Prosecco just before serving. That way the drink stays sparkling.
Which Prosecco to use for Hugo
You do not need an expensive Prosecco for Hugo. A dry Prosecco from the supermarket is perfectly fine. The only important thing is that the Prosecco is cold. If you use warm Prosecco, the ice melts faster and the Hugo turns watery. We keep Prosecco in the fridge and take it out just before making the drink. A Prosecco Frizzante (with less fizz) also works, but the Hugo will be less sparkling.
Hugo without alcohol
Also worth a look: Gluhsecco in the Thermomix®.
For an alcohol-free version, replace the Prosecco with 750 g of cold sparkling mineral water. The method stays the same: mix the lime juice, ice and syrup at speed 4, then add the mineral water at speed 1. The result is a sweet, fizzy summer drink that children enjoy too. Important: use mineral water with plenty of carbonation, otherwise the drink lacks sparkle.
More summer drinks made in the Thermomix®: Aperol Spritz, iced tea syrup, lemonade.
