Blackberry Martini

• For the Blackberry Jam:
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup blackberries
• For the Blackberry Martini:
• 2 ounces gin (use a gin that's not perfumey or intense, like Beefeater or Tanqueray)
• 1/4 ounce Grand Marnier (or 1/2 ounce if you want a sweeter drink)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon blackberry jam (or a bit less if you want a tarter drink)
• 3 blackberries
• 1 basil leaf

1. Place 2 tablespoons of sugar in the bottom of a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add a splash of water. Swirl it around on medium heat until all the sugar is moist. Cook until the sugar just starts to caramelize (you'll see a bit of caramel color and smell a hint of burning sugar).
2. Take off the heat and carefully pour in 1 cup of blackberries. Stir. The mixture will seize up. Don't panic. Put back on medium heat and keep stirring for about 3 minutes. It's ready when the berries have released their juices and it looks like jam.
3. Cool. Pass through a fine strainer. Use the jam in your blackberry martini or have it on toast (it will keep for a few days in the fridge).
4. Chill a martini glass. Place a large handful of ice in a cocktail shaker or a large glass. Add the gin, Grand Marnier, lime juice, and blackberry jam. Stir vigorously with a cocktail spoon (or shake away if that's your thing).
5. Strain into the chilled glass. Add 3 blackberries. Rub a bruised basil leaf along the rim of the glass. Float leaf on top. Drink.

sugar, blackberries, martini, beefeater, grand marnier, lime juice, blackberry, blackberries, basil

Taken from food52.com/recipes/23741-blackberry-martini (may not work)