Cocktail O’Clock

I’m not a big cocktail person. And nowhere near a mixologist. But don’t get me wrong, I quite like a cocktail every so often. Normally my choices revolve around gin (unsurprisingly) or the occasional mojito on a sunny day, but it’s not usually the first area of drinks that I go to.

As a result of this when this month’s Random Recipes was announced as cocktails I was in a bit of a quandary. I don’t really have the books or the glasses. Never one to be stumped though I found the books that had drinks sections at the back and rummaged through all the glasses in my kitchen to find the one that was least unsuitable. What I ended up with was a Chilli Chocolate Martini. In a flute.

‘Ended up with’ is doing it a disservice, because who doesn’t like a martini? Whilst a chocolate one doesn’t quite fit my James Bondesque lifestyle - clearly the martini drinking lifestyle I emulate in my daily life - using the chilli-infused creme de cacao to provide an additional twist on the classic.

Naturally I had it shaken, not stirred.

Chilli Chocolate Martini

This recipe is taken from Nigella Lawson’s Kitchen, but adapted as I didn’t have regular creme de cacao. Where I used a flute it should definitely be a martini, but use what you’ve got! Makes 1.

Ingredients

50ml vodka
25ml chilli creme de cacao
25ml dry vermouth
Ice

Direction

Pour ice into the glass to chill it. In your cocktail shaker put a good amount of ice then add the vodka, creme de cacao and vermouth. Seal and shake vigorously for thirty seconds or so.

Empty the ice from the glass and full from your cocktail shaker, ensuring no ice goes in. Shave the chocolate over the top to decorate.

Craig (210 Posts)

Edinburgh-dwelling, baking and food-obsessed, twenty-something adventure enthusiast. Runs on liberal amounts of coffee, cheese, cake and gin; bribable with same.