Fight off the winter chill in the most decadent way with hot drinking chocolate and fine brandy cocktails, while raising a toast to World Chocolate Day on 7 July.
Fine potstill brandy and quality, dark chocolate always makes a great pairing. Using Van Ryn’s 10 year Vintage Brandy and Van Ryn’s 12 year Old Distiller’s Reserve potstill, cocktail specialist Owen O’ Reilly created three hot chocolate and brandy cocktails – or as he likes to call them, hot brandy choctails.
An extra flair of luxury is added with NOMU’s range of premium hot drinking chocolates. These recipes can be made at home and promise the most decadent accompaniment to help you own winter.
- VAN RYN’S PUMPKIN PIE
INGREDIENTS
PUMPKIN PURÉE
- 1 butternut
- 4 tbsp NOMU Cook’s Collection Holiday Baking Spice
- 300ml water
- 200g sugar
COCKTAIL
- 50ml award-winning Van Ryn’s 10-Year-Old Vintage Brandy, per serving
- 35ml pumpkin purée, per serving
- 2 tsp NOMU Skinny Hot Chocolate per serving
- Boiling water, to top up
TO SERVE
- 250ml whipping cream, whipped
- 1 pump NOMU Vanilla Paste
- Pumpkin purée, to taste
METHOD
PUMPKIN PURÉE
Preheat oven to 200°. Cut pumpkin into 4, remove seeds, and place onto a baking tray. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp NOMU Cook’s Collection Holiday Baking Spice, and bake for an hour, or until the pumpkin is soft to the touch. Set aside – once cool, remove the pumpkin skin.
While cooling, add the water, sugar and remaining 2 tbsp NOMU Cook’s Collection Holiday Baking Spice to a small pot, and bring to a rolling boil. Simmer while stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Add baked pumpkin pieces to a blender or food processor with the spiced syrup. Blend until smooth and then pour through a fine strainer. Add a little water if the purée is too thick. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
COCKTAIL
Pour the Van Ryn’s 10 Year Old Vintage Brandy and pumpkin purée into your choice of mug or glass. Add NOMU Skinny Hot Chocolate and stir into a paste.
Add boiling water, leaving room for cream, and stir briskly.
TO SERVE
Whip the cream to soft peaks and stir through the NOMU Vanilla Paste. Gently spoon the cream into the glasses, and drizzle with the remaining pumpkin purée.
- VAN RYN’S BLAZING CHOCOCCINO
INGREDIENTS
- 50ml Van Ryn’s 12-Year-Old Distiller’s Reserve Brandy
- 25ml citrus liqueur
- 3 tsp NOMU Just Add Water Hot Chocolate
- 75ml prepared filter coffee
- 75ml milk
- 1 pump NOMU Vanilla Paste
- Marshmallows to serve
METHOD
Use two small pots or frothing jugs with handles. Add all ingredients to one pot or jug and heat while stirring.
Carefully light the liquid using a long handled lighter, and slowly pour burning liquid from one pot or jug to the other. Repeat this step 4 or 5 times, to aerate the mixture.
Pour into a serving vessel and garnish with marshmallows.
- VAN RYN’S COCO-CHOCO WINE COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS
SPICED WINE SYRUP
- 250ml Pinotage
- 170g sugar
- 1 tbsp NOMU Decadent Hot Chocolate
- 2 tbsp NOMU Essential Cardamom Pods
- Peel of 1 orange
COCKTAIL
- 25ml spiced wine syrup
- 50ml Van Ryn’s 12-Year-Old Distiller’s Reserve Brandy
- 50ml prepared filter coffee
- 50ml milk
- 50ml coconut milk
- 1 tsp NOMU Decadent Hot Chocolate
- 1 tsp NOMU Skinny Hot Chocolate
- Marshmallows to serve
METHOD
SPICED WINE SYRUP
Combine the ingredients except for the orange peel to a pot. Stir while heating, dissolving sugar dissolves. Add the orange peel and bring to a light simmer, allowing the mixture to reduce for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool before bottling. Can be stored in the fridge for a week. Makes 200ml.
COCKTAIL
Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan on the stove top and heat, stirring continuously. Do not boil. Whisk the mixture before serving. Pour into a heatproof wine glass and garnish with a marshmallow.