Passion Star Martini

The Passion Star Martini—also known as the Pornstar Martini—is a playful, provocative cocktail that's just right for summer sipping. It features a heady combination of passion fruit and vanilla and is shaken until ice cold and frothy, then served up in a coupe glass. The tropical fruit flavor comes from a one-two punch of passion fruit puree and liqueur, while vanilla vodka brings all its creamy, subtly floral notes to the party. Lime juice and simple syrup round out the cocktail—but we're not done yet. To take things over the top, the drink is garnished with half a fresh passion fruit and served with a sidecar of bubbly prosecco for cleansing the palate. Whatever you choose to call it, this silky, captivating cocktail is one you won't soon forget.

Origin of the Passion Star Martini

The Passion Star Martini is often known as the Pornstar Martini or the Passion Fruit Martini. It's a modern classic created in London in 2002 by mixologist Douglas Ankrah. The drink is an intoxicating combination of passionfruit and vanilla, and instantly became one of the most popular cocktails at the leading bars he was behind at the time. Then it proceeded to take the city by storm. And it wasn't a flash in the pan, either: The cocktail has continued to evolve over the years, with riffs featuring everything from aged rum to coconut cream. It's long been the most requested cocktail in the U.K. and recently has been surging stateside.

Ingredients for the Passion Star Martini

Along with a cocktail shaker, coupe glasses, and small glasses or shot glasses for the prosecco, you'll need to gather the following ingredients for this sultry sipper:

Vanilla vodka: Use a good-quality vanilla vodka for the best vanilla flavor. We like Grey Goose La Vanille or Absolute Vanilla. It'll make up nearly half of the total volume of the drink, so it's worth using a brand you'll be happy with.

Passion fruit puree: Look for passion fruit puree—not juice—in the freezer section of your grocery store, and seek out a seedless version if at all possible for a more attractive look and enjoyable sipping experience (or strain out the seeds yourself at home before mixing). If you can't find puree, look for frozen cubes of passion fruit and blitz them in the blender first.

Passion fruit liqueur: Chinola is the brand of choice for many bartenders when it comes to passionfruit liqueur, so try to get your hands on a bottle. To use up the rest of the bottle, make more cocktails or try adding a splash to fruit salads, custards, or even lemonade for a boozy, tropical boost.

Lime juice: While not included in the original recipe, a touch of lime juice adds extra, welcomed brightness to the cocktail. We prefer using fresh lime juice, but you can use a good quality bottled version if you'll be shaking up several passion stars over the course of an evening.

Simple syrup: An ounce of simple syrup brings just the right amount of sweetness to the drink. While you can buy it bottled, it's so easy to make yourself and lasts forever in the fridge.

Prosecco: A sidecar of sparkling wine, such as prosecco, sets this cocktail apart. Since it's meant to be sipped on its own, avoid buying a very inexpensive bottle, but don't break the bank either—opt for something you'd enjoy drinking on any other occasion.

Fresh passion fruit: If you can find fresh passionfruit, pick up a few for the garnish—they are worth it for the wow factor. Set half of one cut side up in each cocktail before serving, and provide small spoons for scooping out the flesh. Swap in a slice of starfruit instead, or simply omit the garnish if you can't locate it fresh.