If you’ve been a long-time reader of this blog, you’ll likely know I have a pretty adventurous palate. There are very few foods/dishes that I don’t like (I’m looking at you papaya) and I’m always open to trying new flavours. Unfortunately, there’s some dissonance between what I’m willing to eat and how prepared my body is to digest it.
My most unrequited love is dairy. I would subsist solely on creamy pastas, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream if I could, but no amount of Lactaid could fortify my gastrointestinal tract for the havoc that would wreak.
I take comfort in the knowledge that I’m not alone. Lactose intolerance is the most common dietary restriction, with more than 44% of Canadians affected. That’s why it’s always a welcome relief to discover new food and drink products that are made with full flavour but none of the lactose.
Amarula, the world-renowned maker of cream liqueurs, recently made my day when they announced their new plant-based liqueur had landed on LCBO shelves. I’ve been a longtime fan of Amarula‘s distinctive cream liqueur – having used it in my Amarula Gingerbread Chai Latte from the 2020 edition of the Let’s Get Blitzen: Cocktail Advent Calendar – and I’m overjoyed that Ontario is one of the first markets in the world to introduce their plant-based cream liqueur.
This post is sponsored by Amarula.
In addition to being dairy free, Amarula Plant Based can be enjoyed by a wide array of Canadians who have different dietary restrictions as it is also nut free, gluten free, and free from artificial colours and flavours.
Amarula Plant Based is made from a luxurious combination of coconut blended with the spirit of the distinctive Marula fruit that has ensured the brand’s sustained popularity in over 100 countries. This indulgent plant based cream liqueur boasts notes of caramel, vanilla, and creamy coconut, finished with complex notes of Marula fruit.
While balmy summer nights might not immediately stir up a craving for cream liqueur, the coconut base lends a unique tropical flavour making it well-suited to frosty sippers. I wanted to exploit that exotic underpinning by combining it with banana, rum, lime, and a complex toasted coconut syrup.
You guessed it: I made an elevated take on the classic Banana Daiquiri. This drink is often maligned by professional drinkers on account of too many bad interpretations made with subpar ingredients at beachside resorts. But much in the way that the Espresso Martini and Pornstar Martini have made a recent resurgence, the Banana Daiquiri is deserving of a second look – or sip, in this case.
In addition to the delicious flavour and suitability for those who embrace plant based lifestyles or have food intolerances, Amarula Plant Based continues the brand’s commitment to give back to the communities in which it works. The new Amarula Plant Based liqueur is packaged in a striking iridescent bottle adorned by a contrasting burgundy tassel, all of which are made by the Handwork Hub, a collaboration between the brand and female entrepreneurs in its native South Africa.
Head to your nearest LCBO retail location or LCBO.com to pick up a bottle of Amarula Plant Based so you can whip up this delectable, remastered version of the classic banana daiquiri – you can get $3 off your bottle of Amarula Plant Based at the LCBO until August 14th – run, don’t walk!
Amarula Plant Based Banana Daiquiri
Amarula Plant Based Cream Liqueur is made with a luxurious combination of coconut blended with the brand's distinctive spirit made from the Marula fruit. The exotic flavours of the liqueur are enhanced with the addition of other tropical ingredients like banana, lime, rum, and a decadent toasted coconut syrup.
- 1½ oz white rum
- ¾ oz Amarula Plant Based Cream Liqueur
- ½ oz banana liqueur
- ⅓ oz toasted coconut syrup
- ¾ oz lime juice
- ½ frozen banana
- 1 cup pebbled ice
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup coconut water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 maraschino cherry
-
Blend all ingredients, excluding ice, until smooth.
-
Add ice and blend briefly.
-
Pour into a hurricane glass and garnish with a banana dolphin and cocktail umbrella.
-
Toast unsweetened coconut flakes in a dry saucepan over medium-low heat until fragrant and light golden brown.
-
To the saucepan, add coconut water and sugar. Simmer over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until fully combined.
-
Let cool, then strain and discard solids. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
-
Cut the banana in half.
-
Using the half with the stalk, cut through the stalk horizontally as if it were a dolphin’s smiling snout.
-
Keep the “mouth” open with a maraschino cherry. Draw on a blowhole and eyes, as desired.
Toasted Coconut Syrup adapted from Mustipher, Shannon. Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails. New York: Rizzoli, 2019.
Yum yum yummy!