Non-alcoholic Peach Bellini

Wash the peaches, remove the pits and peel if needed. Ripe summer peaches have soft enough flesh - just cut into smaller pieces and place in a blender. If the skin is very thin and the peach is fully ripe, you can leave it on for extra colour. Perfectly smooth puree is the key foundation of this non-alcoholic peach bellini.

Add lemon juice and, if needed, powdered sugar to taste depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Blend for a few minutes until completely smooth, then pass the puree through a fine sieve into a bowl - this removes fibers and seeds and gives you a silky smooth consistency. The strained puree should be pale orange and flow easily from a spoon. If it seems too thick, add a teaspoon of water and blend again briefly.

Keep all ingredients and glasses well chilled - the ideal temperature is around 4 degrees C. Cold prevents excessive foaming and keeps the bubbles longer. You can pre-chill the glasses by placing them in the freezer for five minutes. Keep the puree in the fridge until the moment of preparation. If your kitchen is warm, work quickly - non-alcoholic sparkling wine loses its fizz fast once poured, so have everything ready before you start assembling the drinks.

First pour about 40-50 ml of chilled peach puree into each glass. Slowly top up with non-alcoholic sparkling wine (about 150 ml per glass) and stir gently so the puree combines with the bubbles without excessive foaming. The ratio of puree to wine can be adjusted to taste - more puree gives a fruitier, thicker drink, while more wine makes it lighter and more refreshing. Always pour the wine slowly along the side of the glass to preserve the bubbles.

Garnish the rim of the glass with a fresh peach slice, a mint leaf or a thin strip of lemon zest. Serve immediately after mixing, well chilled. The cocktail looks beautiful in tall champagne flutes but works equally well in a wide coupe glass.