I have generally (translates to always) given our guests a martini as our signature drink. A friend sent me this one that was posted in the paper over a year ago and, going through a box of ‘treasures’, I re-read it and thought you would like to try it.
- 1 1/2 oz. Citron Vodka
- 1/2 oz. Creme de Cacao
- berry sugar
- 1 lime
Okay, I know it has only 2 ingredients, but when you finish the martini glass as below noted, you will see that finishing the drink makes it so special.
Place the martini glass in the freezer while mixing the vodka and liqueur over crushed ice. Discard the ice.
Wipe the entire rim of the glass with a wedge of the lime and then only drip one half of the glass into the sugar.
The tartness of the bare lime side will counter the sweetness of the drink and, if you desire, sip from the sugar side as well.
It has been a while since I posted a martooni, so try it. Hmmmm…tastes like two.
Chocolate Almond Martini
This is a really neat martini to try. It tastes like the almond/coconut/chocolate bar you could buy when I was growing up. We don’t buy chocolate bars per say anymore, so I don’t know if they still exist. Anyway….
You will need:
- 16 parts Chocolate vodka
- 2 parts Frangelico liqueur
- 1 part creme de cacao
- 1 dash of coconut syrup
Pour ingredients into a shaker filled with crushed ice and shake really well. Strain into chilled martini glasses with 1 unsalted, roasted whole almond.
It’s neat and yummy-yummy!
White Cherry Martini
It’s not that I am promoting drinking the summer away…hmmm? No, but this is another goodie to try.
It is the easiest yet to date but tasty. The secret to a good martini is always chill your glasses and make sure you shake for 10-15 seconds to get it really cool.
- 2 parts Vodka (try regular vodka or up it to chocolate vodka)
- 2 parts Creme de Cacao
- 1 part Cherry Brandy
- 1 tsp. juice from bottled cherries
Again, rim martini glasses with melted chocolate and place in the fridge to harden. Fill the shaker with cracked ice and shake it well.
Strain into prepared martini glasses. On a martini pick, garnish with a chocolate dipped maraschino cherry.
Chocolate Whipped Cream Cake
When we ran our Bed and Breakfast, the joke was that you left your diet outside the front door and picked it up again when you left. I can’t get over that habit. Do I want to? Not so much!
You will need:
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cups Rodelle Baking Powder (any large grocery store)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 tsps. baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsps. baking soda
- 1/2 cup Crisco oil
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsps. vanilla extract (or 2 tsps. chocolate flavouring)
- 1 1/4 cups whipping cream
- 1/4 cup creme de cacao
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tbls. icing sugar
- 1 packet of Oetker “WhipIt” (stabilizer for whipping cream)
- 1 1/2 tsp. icing sugar
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom/sides of 2- 9″ round cake pans. Now fit parchment paper circles into pans and butter the paper. Set aside.
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and let it simmer. Combine the dry ingredients into a large bowl and beat together with the oil, milk, eggs, vanilla and creme de cacao for two minutes or until smooth. Reduce to low speed and now add 1 cup boiling water. Mix well and divide equally into the cake pans. Bake these for 30-35 minutes and check with a wooden toothpick to ensure it is cooked. Cool for about 10 minutes and unmold, returning to the wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting beat the cream with the Whip It, until light peaks form and add the icing sugar and creme de cacao and beat until a little firmer. Gentley fold in the remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tbls. icing sugar and 1 1/2 tbls. baking chocolate.
To assemble: slice each cake in half and place one layer on the serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting on top, sprinkle with 1/4 of the chocolate chips. Repeat with each layer except the top. Ice with the remaining whipping cream and sprinkle the top with “Choca vlokken” which is actually choclate curls. You can, of course, make you own but these work out in a pinch.
Enjoy!
Ed ‘n Mark Martini
This is for two very hard working men in the construction business. They have done so much for us, this one’s for them.
- 10 parts Grey Goose Vodka
- 2 parts Frangelico liqueur
- 2 parts Creme de Cacao
- 1 part Bailey’s liqueur
Pour ingredients into a shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into martini glasses. Garnish with a few roasted pine nuts.
When you build your home, make sure you get the best men to get the job done. We did!
New Years Martini
With company coming for New Years Dinner, I needed a new martini to begin the evening with style. My daughter and I made this one over the holidays and enjoyed it so much we served it to company the next evening. All we heard was “ummmm, tastes like more”. Gotta love company.
New Years Martini
Chill martini glasses and swirl in a fancy pattern, plate scrapers in Caramel flavour. Not lots but enough. (try it first and then you will know. Always sample the drink before, I always say…..
Pour: 2 parts Vodka
- 1 part Creme de Cacao
- 1 part Butterscotch Schnapps
- 1 part Godiva white chocolate.
Pour all into a shaker filled with cracked ice and shake well, Strain into the chilled glasses, You can garnish with a few Skor bits (from the baking section of the store) or white chocolate shavings.
In case you didn’t figure this one out. It IS yummy!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE. ALL THE BEST FOR 2011
The Holiday Martini
Last night when my friend was over, I made a Holiday Martini. Always remember to chill the glasses.
- 6 parts commercial egg nog
- 2 parts vanilla vodka
- 1 part Baileys
- 1 part Creme de Cacao
Pour into shaker filled with ice, and shake for a few seconds. Strain and sprinke a teeny amount of fresh grated nutmeg on top. One sip and she said “yummmmmm, tastes like another”.
Another successful venture into the martini world.
Taste Rating: 9.9