16 Ways to Use Up Leftover Champagne

Max Wong — Mon, 05 May 2014 08:36:18 +0000

I know how the joke ends, so I'm just going to say it now: If you're one of those people who wonder "who has leftover champagne," then you can just stop reading now.

For the rest of us who always find half full bottles of (no longer) bubbly left around the house after every party, here are 28 recipes to use up flat champagne. (See also: 25 Things to Do With Used Corks)

Recycle It Into Other Boozy Drinks

Since sangria was practically invented to hide the taste of cheap ripple, substitute your flat champagne for some of the wine in your favorite recipe. (When substituting champagne for wine, be sure to taste the sangria before adding any additional sugar, as champagne can be sweet). During the winter holiday season, turn your leftover champagne into mulled wine by combining it with cider, honey, and spices.

Turn It Into a Dessert

I like champagne grapefruit sorbet as a palate cleanser between courses. Not because I'm that fancy, but because I need a plausible explanation for why I'm eating gelato for dinner as well as dessert. Although I use an ice cream maker, this recipe can be made in a food processor or blender.

For summer parties, turn flat champagne into a "poptail" by freezing champagne in your childhood Popsicle molds. Just remember not to give the special ones to the kids.

Champagne is also wonderful for poaching pears or stewing fruit for a dessert topping.

But, one doesn't need to put on airs with champagne desserts. Champagne Jello shots and pink champagne cake made from a boxed cake mix are also yummy.

Champagne buttercream frosting helped make raspberry wedding cupcakes a winning recipe on the competitive cooking show "Cupcake Wars."

Not a frosting fan? Well, champagne glaze is delicious on everything from pound cake to sugar cookies... and that favorite dessert meat: ham.

Experience a Better Hang-Over Breakfast

Before going to bed, freeze the leftover champagne in an ice cube tray to add to orange juice.

Can't look at a fizzless mimosa without gagging after last night's revelry? Use the leftover champagne to make crazy-delicious French toast.

Elevate Comfort Food

Giada De Laurentiis's five-star recipe for champagne risotto makes an elegant side dish or a homey main dish, depending on what vegetables and meat are added to the base risotto recipe.

Gravy made from flat champagne and pan drippings from the Thanksgiving turkey makes for incredible leftovers.

Roast Super Juicy Turkey

Speaking of Thanksgiving, champagne is the secret basting ingredient to this beloved and succulent turkey recipe.

Impress Your French Relatives

I learned how to make Champagne Chicken in my 8th grade French class. Pro Tip: Use dark meat, with the skin on, and add approximately 40 cloves of garlic.

Perk Up Soup

With its sweet taste, champagne is an obvious ingredient for many summer soups made with fruit. That said, champagne can also be used as the acidic ingredient in French onion soup.

Steam Seafood

My brother-in-law is an event planner, so he ends up with tons of flat champagne. He freezes his leftover champagne, and then uses it later to poach salmon, one of his go-to appetizers for big parties. My brother-in-law has also successfully poached oysters and clams in flat champagne.

Make Garlic Vinaigrette

Pick apart several heads of garlic and then submerge the cloves in a jar of flat champagne. The garlic and the infused champagne make delicious vinaigrette for vegetables. Be sure to refrigerate this!

Ferment It Into Champagne Vinegar

I've accidentally made vinegar out of leftover wine, but using a recipe for champagne vinegar will guarantee a better result!

Bake Better Bread

Why settle for beer bread when I can make champagne bread instead?

Create Your Own Beauty Products

Champagne can be used to make face toner, clay face-masks, and even hair rinses.

What is your favorite flat champagne recipe or hack?

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Max Wong of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: