Colin Norman, cocktail maker extraordinaire at De Luca, whips up a selection of Christmassy concoctions to warm your cockles this festive season…
#1 Cambridge Edition Christmas Cooler
• 37.5ml amaretto
• 12.5ml Cointreau
• cider to top up
• apple slice and cinnamon stick to garnish
Add the amaretto and Cointreau into a tall glass with ice and top up with cider. Garnish with an apple slice and a cinnamon stick
A lovely cider cocktail balancing the flavour of almonds, apple and a touch of orange.
#2 Winter Warmer
• 50ml strong coffee
• 25ml Kahlua
• 25ml Frangelico
• 25ml Cointreau
• 50ml cream
• whipped cream; cinnamon stick and ground cinnamon or marshmallows, chocolate flake and chocolate powder to garnish
Layer the liquids in the glass in order using a spoon. Float the cream on top, make a spiral with the whipped cream and add the cinnamon stick and ground cinnamon. Switch the cinnamon for marshmallows, chocolate flake and powder for added sweetness.
A indulgent combination of orange, hazelnut and coffee make this a perfect combination for those cold winter nights.
#3 Candy Cane Martini
• 50ml Warninks White chocolate liqueur
• 25ml candy cane infused vodka
• 25ml cream
• strawberry syrup
• grenadine and white sugar for the glass rim, and candy cane to garnish
Swirl strawberry syrup in a martini glass and put in the freezer. Crush a candy cane in the vodka in a cocktail shaker. Add the cream and chocolate liqueur. Fill up with ice and shake hard. Dip the martini glass in grenadine and then in white sugar. Double strain the shaker mixture into the glass (retrieved from the freezer) and garnish with a candy cane.
Sweet, chocolatey with a hint of vanilla perfect for Christmas.
#4 Snow Jack
• 50ml Jack Daniels
• 12.5ml lime juice
• 12.5ml sugar syrup
• 1 egg white
• rosemary, fresh cranberries and icing sugar to garnish
Add the egg white to a cocktail shaker and shake hard, then add the rest of the ingredients with ice and shake hard again. Double strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and 3 cranberries on a cocktail stick. Sprinkle icing sugar over the rosemary for a snowy effect.
A smooth velvety finish makes this a winter must-have for whiskey lovers.
#5 Winter Old Fashioned
• 70ml Woodford Reserve Bourbon
• 2 dashes chocolate bitters
• orange slices
• 1tsp brown sugar
• 5ml soda
• ½ orange to squeeze for juice
• 2 chocolate orange sticks, cinnamon stick and a raspberry to garnish
In a rocks glass crush the sugar, bitters and soda to a fine mixture. Now add the ice and bourbon, and stir – 50 stirs clockwise, then 50 stirs counterclockwise. Add the orange slices and top up with ice. Squeeze half an orange and add the juice to the cocktail. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, two chocolate orange sticks and a raspberry.
A chocolate twist on a firm bourbon favourite, not for the faint-hearted.
Images by Daisy Dickinson
