The third week every March is reserved for chocolate lovers, and is known as National American Chocolate Week. While the origins of the week-long celebration of all things chocolate are unknown, any excuse to eat more chocolate is a good one. Cheers to National American Chocolate Week with these decadent cocktails featuring, you guessed it, chocolate! Whether you prefer milk chocolate or white chocolate, hints of orange or raspberry, or even sweet heat, these chocolate cocktails offer a sweet treat.
“Hot Lips” Chocotini
*Created by Kara Newman, author of Spice & Ice: 60 Tongue Tingling Cocktails.
- 1/2 red chile pepper, sliced
- 1 oz. chocolate vodka
- 1 oz. Kahlua
- 1/2 oz. maraschino liqueur
- Fresh cream
In a cocktail shaker, muddle the sliced chile pepper, then add the chocolate vodka, Kahlua and maraschino liqueur. Shake together with ice and strain into a small martini or pousse-café glass.
Next, gently pour cream over the back of a spoon to create a “float” on the top of the drink. Use a hand grater for a generous amount of chocolate shavings on the top of the drink, if desired.
Optional Garnish: Chocolate Chile Pepper
With a whole red chile pepper and 1 ounce melted chocolate, dip 1/2 the chile pepper into the melted chocolate. Set on wax paper and put in refrigerator until chocolate hardens. Cut a slit in the upper portion of the chile pepper so it will sit neatly on the rim of the glass.
White Chocolate Martini
- 1/2 cup half and half cream
- 4 oz. white chocolate, rough chopped
- 2 oz. vodka
- 2 oz. simple syrup
Heat half and half cream in a small sauce pan; slowly add white chocolate, whisk continually, until chocolate is melted. Cool to room temperature. Add vodka and simple syrup to white chocolate mixture and stir.
Chocolate Martini
- 4 oz. chocolate liqueur
- 2 oz. vanilla vodka
- Splash of Half and Half
- Chocolate syrup
Mix chocolate liqueur and vanilla vodka together. Add a splash of Half and Half and shake over ice. Rim a martini glass with chocolate syrup, and add contents of shaker.
- 2 oz. chocolate liqueur
- 2 oz. vodka
- 1 oz. chilled espresso
- 1/2 tsp. fresh orange juice
- Strip of orange zest
Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice and shake well. Moisten the rim of a chilled martini glass and dip it in a sugar-chocolate mixture (2 tbsp. raw sugar and finely chopped dark chocolate). Strain the cocktail into the glass and garnish with an orange wedge, if desired.
- 4 oz. vodka
- 2 oz. chocolate liqueur
- 1 tbsp. raspberry liqueur
- 2 oz. half and half
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the vodka, chocolate and raspberries liqueurs and the half and half and shake well for 20 seconds. Strain and pour into 2 martini glasses and garnish with the chocolate raspberries.
Optional Garnish: Chocolate Covered Raspberries
Melt 2 tbsp. chocolate and 1/2 tsp. butter in small bowl and microwave on LOW power til melted, approximately 1-2 minutes. Dip raspberries halfway in melted chocolate and put on skewers.
Lay the skewers across the edges of a small bowl; keeping the chocolate raspberries from touching any surface and put in refrigerator to cool the chocolate.
- 3 cups milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup coffee-flavored liqueur
- 1 tbsp. dark rum or brandy
- Whipped cream
- Grated bittersweet chocolate
In a saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a low boil. Remove from the heat. Whisk the cocoa and vanilla into the milk. Add the sugar and simmer over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the coffee liqueur and rum and stir well. Remove from the heat and pour into 4 mugs. Top with a spoonful of whipped cream and grated chocolate, if desired.
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