Sunday, October 30, 2011

Hot Chocolate Cocktails

Cocktails to Warm Your Heart This Winter



Delicious hot chocolate recipes for adults only - hot chocolate cocktails
There’s nothing better in winter than to sit around a fire with a lovely mug of hot chocolate.....unless you count hot chocolate with extras! Yes, adults only hot chocolate is a different type of cocktail that you can serve to your family and friends this winter and here I have listed some of the best hot chocolate cocktails for you to enjoy

There are simple to make hot chocolate cocktails along with a couple of more time consuming (yet still mouthwatering) hot chocolate cocktail recipes.

Whether you enjoy your hot chocolate with a hint of mint, enhanced with chocolate or a little nutty I have a hot chocolate cocktail recipe which you will simply adore.

These adult hot chocolates are like being given a big hug on a cold night, in fact they're so good I've been known to drink them during the summer too!

Delicious hot chocolate cocktails ideal for drinking over the holidays
Celebrate Christmas with a Hot Chocolate Cocktail

Delicious - It's Like a Chocolate Hug!


While you're busy wrapping gifts......what could be better than sipping on a delicious hot chocolate cocktail at the same time? Personally I think it's a great way of spending Christmas Eve after the children are in bed while you're waiting for them to drop off to sleep so that 'Santa' can make his little visit.

Hot Chocolate Cocktail Menu

Your Ticket to a Very Happy Place!


On this page you'll find the following -


Hot Chocolate with Peppermint

Minty Heaven in a Mug!


Now the simple hot chocolate and peppermint cocktail is called the Snuggler and features on my Valentine's Day Cocktail page as it's delicious and ideal to drink while snuggling up and watching a movie.....it's also really easy to make.

The Snuggler

Make a mug of hot chocolate as per the instructions on the packet (I recommend Cadbury's Drinking Chocolate) and then add 1½ oz peppermint schnapps, stir and add whipped cream if desired.

Now if you want to get fancy there is another variation on Peppermint Schnapps flavored Hot Chocolate. This variation is delicious and a great 'holiday' cocktail or one to make when you're trying to impress.

Hot Chocolate Peppermint Schnapps

1 quart milk
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped or use chocolate chips
9 ounces peppermint schnapps
Whipped cream, for serving
6 peppermint sticks, for serving

Heat one cup of the milk over a low heat and while the milk is heating add the chocolate while stirring. Once the chocolate is fully melted add the remaining milk and increase the heat to medium. Do not let the milk boil. Whisk the hot chocolate as it warms up and serve in a mug or an irish coffee glass. Add 1½ oz peppermint schapps to the mug/glass and top with a dollop of cream and a peppermint stick - delicious!

Another way to get the flavor of mint into your hot chocolate is to use creme de menthe which is where the Midnight Snowstorm comes into play.

Midnight Snowstorm

2 oz white creme de menthe
Hot Chocolate
1/2 oz green creme de menthe
whipped cream

This is another cocktail where you use a store brought hot chocolate of your own choice. Make up the hot chocolate as per the packet instructions and pour into a glass with 2 oz of the white creme de menthe and stir. Next add the whipped cream and pour the green creme de menthe over the top for a festive look that makes this particular hot chocolate cocktail ideal for Christmas time :)

This next cocktail takes the peppermint chocolate trip on an even more intense turn combining not just schnapps, but creme de menthe for a mint explosion. Let's hear it for the Hot Peppermint Patty, which is essentially a warm version of the classic Peppermint Patty cocktail.

Hot Peppermint Patty

1 oz peppermint schnapps
½ oz dark creme de cacao
1 tsp creme de menthe
hot chocolate
whipped cream
shaved chocolate for garnish

Pour the peppermint schapps, creme de cacao and creme de menthe into the bottom of an Irish Coffee Glass and top up with your favorite hot chocolate. Add whipped cream on top and a little shaved chocolate (or cheat and crumble some Cadbury Flake bar over the top).

Hot Chocolate with Coffee


Hot chocolate and coffee is such a popular combination that it even has it's own name - Mocha! It's hardly surprising that there should be some Mocha cocktails then is it?

Hot Mocha Cocktail

4 ½ cups whole milk
4 oz coffee liqueur (I use Kahlua)
3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
3 cups espresso
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup whipping cream

First place the milk and cinnamon sticks into a saucepan on a high heat and bring to a simmer, once that's done remove from heat, cover and leave for 15 minutes to allow the cinnamon flavor to really infuse the milk.

Whisk in the espresso (this should be cold), sugar and one cup of the cocoa, put the saucepan back on the heat and bring it up to a simmer whisking regularly.

Once the hot chocolate is simmering again you can take it off of the heat and remove the cinnamon sticks (it should be smelling delicious) and add the coffee liqueur.

Meanwhile place the powdered sugar and remaining cocoa powder in a bowl with the cream and whisk until it's thick.

Ladle the hot chocolate into mugs and spoon the cream mixture on top.....a little time consuming, but well worth it :)

A much easier version is called the Kahlua Java, I can't remember where I came across this recipe but it is named after one of my favorite liqueurs (even my dog is named Kahlua!) so I knew it would have to taste good.

Kahlua Java

Hot Chocolate
Coffee
1½ oz Kahlua

Mix hot chocolate and coffee in equal amounts into your mug (although to be honest I have often done 1/3 coffee to 2/3 chocolate which is also very nice) then add the Kahlua and stir. Whipped cream and marshmallows is also an optional garnish if you're trying to impress.

Hot Chocolate with Nuts



This hot chocolate will warm the cockles of your heart in no time, I call it hot chocolate with benefits and you'll see why once you taste it :)

Hot Nutella Cocktail

3 cups milk
½ cup chocolate chips
1 cup half-n-half
½ cup rum
½ cup sugar
½ cup hazelnut liqueur (I recommend Frangelico)

Melt the chocolate whichever way you're most comfortable with - I use my Chocolate Factory, but you can use the microwave or a double boiler.

Next in a saucepan heat the milk, half and half and sugar until it comes to a simmer - keep stirring until the sugar is totally dissolved. Add one cup of the milk mixture to the melted chocolate stirring well and then pour the chocolate into the remaining milk and stir until smooth.

Add the rum and hazelnut liqueur and then gently reheat before serving in some lovely mugs.

Irish Hot Chocolate

Bailey's is a classic Irish drink and it mixes so well with chocolate that we just had to try it with hot chocolate - delicious!

This is another really easy to prepare hot chocolate drink that is sure to be popular in your house once you've tried it.

Bailey's Hot Chocolate

1 oz Baileys
hot chocolate
whipped cream

Pour the Baileys into a mug or Irish Coffee glass and top up with your favorite hot chocolate, stir and add whipped cream to the top. I have also tried this with the Baileys Caramel which is even more divine.

Hot Chocolate with Fruit



Chocolate and fruit go together really well especially berries and oranges.

When I was given some Chambord (black raspberry liqueur) all kinds of delicious cocktails were created, but this hot chocolate cocktail was actually given to me by a friend. My friend’s recipe called for white creme de cacao, but I only had brown and it tasted delicious so I’m assuming it doesn’t matter which one you want to use.

Raspberry Hot Chocolate

8 oz Hot Chocolate
1 oz White Creme de Cacao
1 oz Chambord Raspberry Liqueur

Pour the Chambord and Creme de Cacao into a coffee mug and top up with hot chocolate - very berrilicious!

There’s something about orange and chocolate as well and when you’re using orange peel you get that bitter orange flavor that goes really well with hot chocolate – add cognac to the mix and you can feel the warmth spreading right down to your toes!

Bitter Orange Hot Chocolate

1 ½ oz. cognac
1 cup hot chocolate
1 Orange peel
1 tbsp. Whipped cream

Make up the hot chocolate according to the packet and then add the orange peal, next add warm cognac and stir well. Add whipped cream to the top of the hot chocolate and sit back and enjoy :)

Hot Chocolate Rum



Rum and chocolate – what more can you say? Black rum has an intense sweetness about it that really compliments the hot chocolate, although the cream is really needed this time to help cut into the sweetness for a delicious mug of cheer.

Black Hot Chocolate

8 oz. hot chocolate
1 1/2 oz. Black Rum
Whipped cream

Another extremely easy hot chocolate cocktail, simply prepare the hot chocolate according to the packet and then stir in the rum. Whipped cream on the top and you have a delicious hot chocolate cocktail.

There's nothing better than a delicious hot chocolate cocktail on a cold winters night

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Sunday, October 23, 2011

Non Alcoholic Halloween Cocktails

Who said you have to have alcohol to enjoy a few good Halloween cocktails? A cocktail without alcohol is called a mocktail and there are some delicious Halloween one's available.

You can find this one along with others on my Halloween Cocktails site

Devil's Juice

You will need -

3oz cranberry juice
3oz tomato juice
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
dash of black pepper, dash of salt

Mix all of the ingredients together and serve them in a collins glass over ice.

The other alternative to creating sumptuous Halloween mocktails is by simply using everyday Mocktail recipes and giving them new names along with serving them in Halloween glassware or using other Halloween inspired drinks decor.

Of course you can always add black or red food coloring to lemonade if it's for children as opposed to mixing different drinks for them.

If you're after even more non-alcoholic Halloween Cocktails then there's a cool article at Halloween Mocktails which contains a few recipes as we.

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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Halloween Cocktail Costumes

With Halloween fast approaching I've decided to look at cocktails a different way, usually I'm trying to think of some more delicious Halloween cocktails to write about, but what about dressing up as a cocktail for Halloween?   I think it's a cool costume idea.

You can dress up as a martini, a daiquiri, a cosmo or more, let's look at a few of the costumes I've found for you -













If you havent' decided on a Halloween costume yet then why not try one of these, you'll look great and let's face it - is there ever a time when cocktails aren't a good idea?!

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Thursday, October 13, 2011

Vampire Cocktails

Well October is here which means it's time for Halloween drinks to make an entrance again  {{cue spooky music}} today I'm going to look at Vampire Cocktails.   Talking of vampires - what blood group are you?   I'm B positive and if you are too you'll probably enjoy the sweet tasting cocktail known as Vampire's Delight!

Vampire's Delight

2 oz dark rum
1 banana
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
grenadine

First you need to add the rum, banana and ice cream into a blender and blend together.   Now take a couple of Champagne flutes and add a little grenadine into each one - swirl it around so that it coats the inside of the glass and then pour in the banana mixture.

Delicious!

I've also discovered a Vampire's Kiss recipe that doesn't seem to be a 'real' vampire cocktail as it contains garlic!   It does however contain the Blavod vodka which is great to make Halloween cocktails with.   The Blavod vodka is a black vodka and is great for making Halloween style Screwdrivers and other spooky looking cocktails.

Back to the Vampire's Kiss cocktail -




Isn't it a cool idea to be able to buy your Vampire cocktail recipe on a recipe card - no need to try and remember where you came across it before, you merely keep the card in an index box by your bar and you'll be mixing up Vampire Kisses on any day of the year!

NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, I am also a Zazzle Affiliate and I earn from qualifying purchases.