Now that it’s finally (blissfully) starting to get cooler, I’ve shifted my desires from cool, refreshing drinks like the Margarita or an Original Mai Tai to warm, enriching drinks. These cocktails tend to start with darker bases, like a nice bourbon, and play to my favorite seasonal flavors. For a whole mess of people, that means pumpkin spice (which I’m a huge fan of, check out our Pumpkin Pie Martini as proof), but I don’t always want creamy. Sometimes, a nice, clean and pure drink works. With that in mind, let’s get down to business with the Nutty Spiced Chocolate.

I’m a full-fledged chocoholic, this is something I’m both proud of and happily tell everyone I meet. In fact, just this last week, Alice was reorganizing our fridge and I had to reduce my chocolate drawers (some people have vegetable or fruit drawers, I have chocolate drawers) from three to one. Honestly, I don’t know how I’m going to live.

Naturally, I knew that I wanted some chocolate in this cocktail. While I do love our Homemade Crème de Cacao, I wanted a lighter flavor in this, so I went with a white crème de cacao. Note to self: develop a recipe for the white version, then use that in the future.

Beyond simply chocolate, I felt like a little spice was in order. It’s important to keep things interesting and spice does that. Since the Aztecs invented drinking chocolate and they used spices in theirs, I figure there must be something right with that combination. Let’s just ignore the fact that they didn’t sweeten their drinks. Selective history.

Chocolate and spice, everything nice is a good start — but something a touch more interesting and complex to round out the flavors. Something nutty. Something fun and fall-y. Luckily, our friends over at Frangelico had just sent us some of their fine drink, so yes thanks. Hazelnuts and chocolate are fast friends and Frangelico is up for anything, so I knew we had a winner.

Our final component was a touch of golden rum — because rum. Fair? Fair.

Put it all together and yes, I think we have ourselves a fall cocktail to watch some leaves turn. You have your chocolate, your spice, your golden rum and your nuttiness. Yummy, no matter what language you speak.

Oh, and garnish with your favorite hazelnut chocolate treat. Awesome.

Now, onto the Nutty Spiced Chocolate!

 

October 9th, 2015 | by morgan