Drinking chocolate comes of age in spirit-forward cocktails
Chocolate is used by chefs in both savoury and sweet dishes in almost every cuisine of the world. But when it comes to spirited drinks, it’s surprisingly underused. A Chocolate Martini or spiked hot chocolate can be delicious, but they are hardly innovative. Why not jazz up a Daquiri or an Old Fashioned with a bit of cocoa? The possibilities are endless. Spirits infused with cocoa nibs, dark and white chocolate syrups, bitters, and even spiced cocoa are just some of the ways craft bartenders are getting the most out of their chocolate. My own experiments began a few years ago, when the frustration of only finding crème de cacao on the liquor store shelves finally did me in. Here are some of my simple secrets to making delicious chocolate cocktails at home using a few pro techniques. You will never need that dusty bottle of crème de cacao again.
—by Justin Taylor
