Witches' Brew Halloween Punch: The Lime Sherbet and Ginger Ale Bowl Everyone Is Searching For

Every October a lurid green party punch appears that foams like a cauldron. This year it has an official title. Google's Frightgeist report, published on 14 October, names "witches brew punch" the top trending Halloween drink, and notes that searches for "cauldron crock pot" are at an all-time high. Horror Fuel's write-up of the same list puts it in the same terms.

Chains have noticed. Dunkin launched a Werewolf Punch Refresher on 30 September and Dave & Buster's added a Cauldron Cream Soda on 6 October, according to the Haunted Attraction Network's seasonal menu tracker. The dish at home is much older than either.

Punch itself is centuries old. Wikipedia's history of the drink traces it to East India Company employees bringing the idea from the Indian subcontinent to England in the late 17th century, and notes that the family-friendly versions of fruit juice, lemon-lime soda or ginger ale and fruit pieces are fixtures of school dances and church socials. This is that tradition, painted green. It needs no cooking, it is non-alcoholic, and the sherbet melts into a creamy, foaming top that looks properly witchy.

Ingredients

Serves 12 (about 300 ml each). Total time 15 minutes plus at least 4 hours to freeze the ice ring.

• 1 litre pineapple juice, plus 500 ml for the ice ring
• 120 ml fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
• 1.5 litres ginger ale or lemon-lime soda, well chilled
• 750 ml lime sherbet (about 12 small scoops)
• A few drops of green food colouring, optional
• 12 gummy worms
• 100 g seedless green grapes, frozen
• 1 lime, thinly sliced

Method

1. The day before, pour 500 ml of pineapple juice into a ring or Bundt mould. Drop in the frozen grapes and 6 gummy worms and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.
2. Chill the 1 litre of pineapple juice, the ginger ale and the lime juice in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. A cold base keeps the sherbet from melting too fast.
3. About 5 minutes before serving, take the sherbet out of the freezer so that it softens slightly and scoops cleanly.
4. Pour the chilled pineapple juice and the lime juice into a large punch bowl and stir. Add green food colouring a drop at a time if you want a deeper cauldron green.
5. Dip the ice ring mould briefly in warm water for 10 seconds to loosen it, turn it out and float it in the bowl, worm side up.
6. Just before guests arrive, pour in the ginger ale slowly down the side of the bowl so it keeps its fizz, then stir once, gently.
7. Add the sherbet in scoops, about 8 to start. It will bubble and froth up as it meets the soda, which is the effect you want.
8. Drape the remaining 6 gummy worms and the lime slices over the rim and serve straight away with a ladle, topping up with extra sherbet scoops as the bowl empties.

Tips, swaps and storage

Add the soda and sherbet only at the last moment. The foam collapses within about 30 minutes, and the punch becomes sweeter and flatter as the sherbet melts. If the party runs long, keep the juice base chilled and add soda and sherbet in a second batch.

Sherbet contains dairy, so tell guests with milk allergies, or use a dairy-free lime sorbet instead. For a mocktail with more edge, swap half the ginger ale for sparkling water and add the zest of two limes. If you want an adults-only bowl, make it separately and label it clearly rather than spiking the family one. Skip dry ice altogether: it can burn skin on contact, and chips of it should never end up in a drink.

Leftover base keeps in the fridge for two days without the soda or sherbet. The ice ring can be made a week ahead. With Halloween on Saturday, expect the green punch to be everywhere this week, and expect a few of the gummy worms to disappear before the guests do.