The Pornstar Martini is not a Martini in the gin-and-vermouth sense. It is a vivid passion fruit and vanilla cocktail served beside a small glass of Champagne. That two-glass presentation made Douglas Ankrah’s creation immediately recognizable and helped it travel far beyond the London bar where it began.
Townhouse itself is no longer open. Ankrah launched the Knightsbridge bar in 2002, and it closed in 2010. The drink is now copied worldwide, often with lime, pineapple juice or Prosecco. This recipe returns to the simpler structure Ankrah described: vanilla vodka, passion fruit liqueur, passion fruit purée, vanilla sweetness and dry Champagne on the side.
What Townhouse Actually Served
Ankrah repeatedly said he developed the drink while assembling the Townhouse menu. A detailed original recipe attributed to him calls for 50 ml vanilla vodka, 12.5 ml Passoã, 25 ml Funkin passion fruit purée, two spoons vanilla sugar and 50 ml Champagne. The shaken drink was fine-strained into a chilled martini glass and topped with half a passion fruit.
There is some genuine inconsistency in the record. In another direct interview, Ankrah gave 40 ml vanilla vodka and 15 to 20 ml Passoã, mentioned his secret vanilla sugar and described 60 ml Champagne, but the printed answer omitted a purée measure. Sources also date the drink to 2002, circa 2003 and, less commonly, 2005.
The secure facts are stronger than the disputed details: Ankrah created it for Townhouse, paired passion fruit with vanilla, and served Champagne separately. Since the bar is closed, there is no honest current price or availability claim to make.
Why Typical Copycats Fail
Many modern versions become tropical juice cocktails. Pineapple juice can be delicious, but it softens passion fruit’s tang and creates a foamy, longer drink that is different from the compact original. Lime is also common now, yet the fuller published Townhouse formula relies on passion fruit for acidity.
The second mistake is treating the sparkling wine as a cheap topping. Ankrah specified Champagne and served it in another glass so its dry bubbles could interrupt the sweet, perfumed cocktail. Brut Prosecco or Cava can work at home, but keep it cold, dry and separate.
Finally, bottled passion fruit juice is not the same as purée. Purée provides concentration, tartness and body. If it is sweetened, reduce the vanilla syrup by half and taste before shaking.
The Key Technique: Shake, Fine-Strain, Alternate
Shake the still ingredients hard for 15 to 20 seconds. Thick purée needs more agitation than clear juice to become evenly chilled and lightly aerated. Fine-straining removes ice shards and stray seeds while retaining the silky body.
Float the passion fruit half cut side up and provide a small spoon if you want to follow Ankrah’s full ritual. His stated sequence was to eat some fruit, sip the martini, then sip the Champagne and repeat. The dry wine resets the palate before the next wave of vanilla and passion fruit.
Rich vanilla syrup is a practical substitute for Ankrah’s secret vanilla sugar. To make it, warm two parts sugar with one part water and a split vanilla bean, cool, then strain. Vanilla extract works too; use only a few drops so it does not taste medicinal.
Batch It for New Year’s Eve
For eight cocktails, combine 14 oz (420 ml) vanilla vodka, 4 oz (120 ml) Passoã, 6 oz (180 ml) passion fruit purée and 2 2/3 oz (80 ml) rich vanilla syrup. Add 5 oz (150 ml) cold water for dilution, bottle and refrigerate for up to four hours.
Pour about 4 oz (120 ml) into each chilled martini glass. Garnish with half a passion fruit and serve 2 oz (60 ml) chilled Champagne alongside. Do not add Champagne to the batch because it will go flat, and do not leave purée sitting overnight because its fresh aroma fades.
The Passion Star Martini Mocktail
The zero-proof version keeps the theatrical two-glass service. A 0.0% vanilla botanical spirit provides aroma and a slightly dry finish, while extra passion fruit replaces the missing liqueur. A small amount of lime sharpens this version because it lacks Passoã’s alcoholic lift and complex tartness.
Use a genuinely 0.0% brut sparkling wine if strict avoidance matters. Serve it on the side and alternate sips. That contrast is more important than imitating the alcohol: plush vanilla-passion fruit in one glass, crisp bubbles in the other.
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