Let’s Get Blitzen: Cocktail Advent Calendar – Day 14 – Candy Cane Hot Chocolate. A boozy hot chocolate is an essential contributor to a cocktail advent calendar.
Yes, peppermint hot chocolate might seem predictable but this is the more mature version – made with two different kinds of amaro for an herbal, pleasantly bitter counterpoint to the sweet chocolaty goodness.
Amaro Nepeta is hard to come by which is why I’m offering crème de menthe as an alternative. If you are able to get your hands on Amaro Nepeta, it’s an amaro made with Nepitella, a mint varietal that grows in the Italian countryside, it also features lemon, gentian, and other herbs.
Amaro Averna is deep brown in colour, with complex aromas of herbs, dried fruit, spices, licorice and citrus zest. It has bittersweet flavours of orange zest, cola, ginger and baking spices. If you’re looking to build out your collection of amari, I’d highly recommend Averna – just after Campari and Aperol in terms of priority.
As with all cocktails, the secret is to begin with quality ingredients. My favourite hot chocolate is the Drinking Chocolate – Maya from Soma Chocolatemakers in Toronto. It is a dark chocolate base layered with chili peppers, orange peel, ginger, and spices.
It is absolutely delectable and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Please be sure to tune into my Virtual Happy Hour in my Instagram Stories tonight at 5 p.m. Eastern for an extra special episode.
P.S. Things are going to get weird.
Candy Cane Hot Chocolate
- 1 oz Amaro Averna
- ¾ oz Amaro Nepeta or Crème de Menthe
- 6 oz hot chocolate preferably made with milk or dairy-free milk
- Garnish: marshmallow
- Garnish: candy cane
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Add all ingredients to a warmed heatproof mug.
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Top with marshmallow and garnish with candy cane.
