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Unique Christmas drinks: break away from the norm

27 Nov 2023

Alcohol Christmas Recipes Winter

From Apple Spritz to a Salted Caramel White Russian, mix up your Christmas cocktail menu with our winter warmers.

When it comes to Christmas celebrations, many of us tend to stick to the classics like Bucks Fizz and champagne. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with tradition, why not try something different this year? Step away from the ordinary and explore the world of unique Christmas drinks that will add a delightful cacao twist to your festivities.

Core collection of Hotel Chocolat Velvetised Cream drinks

Thinking beyond tradition with unique Christmas drinks

The holiday season is a time for joy, merriment, and creativity. So, why not apply this spirit to your beverage choices as well? Instead of reaching for the same old holiday staples, consider stepping out of your comfort zone with these unique Christmas drink ideas.

One of the best ways to break away from the norm is by infusing the rich and comforting flavours of chocolate into your Christmas drink. A mellow chocolate alcoholic tipple can be the perfect choice for those who crave a bit of depth and nuance in their festive beverages.

Chocolate Martini

A classic tipple with a gentler twist – this Chocolate Martini is made with our Velvetised Chocolate Cream for a deliciously rich finish. Before you begin making your indulgent cocktail, make sure you’ve gathered the following ingredients.

Ingredients

50ml Velvetised Chocolate Cream (one of our miniatures from the Velvetised Cream Collection provides the perfect single serving).
50ml coffee liqueur
100ml vanilla vodka
1 tbsp chocolate syrup (for the glass rim)
Milky 50% Hot Chocolate shavings (for garnish)
A handful of ice

Method

Making a cocktail doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, with just a few tools and simple, step-by-step instructions, you’ll be a mixologist mastermind in no time. Here’s how to start putting together your Chocolate Martini.

Take a cocktail shaker, preferably a premium one, and fill it with a generous handful of ice. This will chill your cocktail while shaking it and provide the perfect temperature contrast with the Velvetised Chocolate Cream rim.

Add equal parts of the Velvetised Chocolate Cream, coffee liqueur, chocolate syrup, and vodka to the shaker. The richness of these ingredients will harmonise beautifully with the Velvetised Chocolate Cream.

Seal the shaker tightly and shake vigorously until the exterior of the shaker becomes incredibly cold to the touch. This step is essential to ensure the ingredients are well-mixed and chilled to perfection.

Carefully strain the beautifully blended cocktail into the prepared glasses with the Velvetised Chocolate Cream-rimmed edges. The contrast of the chilled cocktail against the creamy rim will make this cocktail a visual masterpiece.

Optionally, you can swap out chocolate cream for Velvetised Espresso Martini Cream, and garnish with a coffee bean or a drizzle of additional chocolate syrup for that extra touch of elegance and flavour.

This Chocolate Martini is the epitome of indulgence and is sure to be a hit at your Christmas gathering. It’s also the perfect post-Christmas dinner treat for those who’d rather skip the dessert.

Why not treat a loved one with the gift of a cocktail in our Velvetised Chocolate Tasting Experience Gift Set? Let your special someone experience not one, but two Velvetised Creams, in both Chocolate and Espresso Martini flavours. Better yet, our gift set comes with a luxurious coupe glass, and a generous helping of our Caramel Chocolate Batonst’s the perfect combination of a celebratory tipple, alongside a delectable chocolate treat for a generous helping of Christmas magic.

Apple Spritz

Aperol isn’t just for summer, although we tend to indulge in this fruity cocktail when the sun is shining. Instead, you can add a wintery twist to turn up the heat on Aperol with our quintessentially Christmas Apple Spritz.

Ingredients

2 red apple slices, to garnish
80ml Aperol
140ml apple cider
80ml of our Classic Prosecco
Soda water, for topping up your Apple Spritz

Method

Perhaps one of the more straightforward cocktails, an Apple Spritz is a quick and easy recipe that’s bound to be a festive crowd pleaser.

Gently place a couple of ice cubes into a glass of your choice (we recommend a wine glass or something similar, like a goblet). You can even freeze your glasses to chill them for a bit of extra coldness.
Cut a red apple into wafer-thin slices and add them to the bottom of the glasses with the ice.
Add in 80ml of Aperol, and then pour in the apple cider for that festive spin.
Next, for the bubbles, add in 80ml of Classic Prosecco. Made in our boutique winery in the foothills of the Dolomites, this refreshing combination is the perfect way to elevate your Apple Spritz.
To finish, top up your Apple Spritz with a dash of soda water to complete your beverage.

Treating your guests with a glass of this delightful cocktail is an easy way to whip up a refreshing tipple for the festive season. To really put a smile on their face, you could gift our Chocolate & Fizz Collection.

Complete with a bottle of our Classic Prosecco, Pink Champagne Truffles, Chocolate Macarons, and an Everything H-box – it’s an experience like no other. This gift box is the perfect gift for a girl’s night in, or just for keen fans of fizz!

Salted Caramel White Russian

Popularised by the Hollywood blockbuster, “The Big Lebowski” in 1998, White Russians have soared in popularity over the years, especially as a festive drink thanks to its creamy, indulgent nature. And, similar to Eggnog, a White Russian leans on the creamier side of the Christmas alcoholic beverage.This time you can mix it up with Salted Caramel Vodka Liqueur for an indulgent play on a classic White Russian.

Ingredients

30ml of Salted Caramel Vodka Liqueur
45ml of coffee liqueur
60ml of single cream (for Vegans, use a plant-based cream as an alternative)
Rock salt (optional)
Ice cubes

Method

Another simple recipe with a decadent kick, a Salted Caramel White Russian is a great alternative for those guests who aren’t a fan of indulgent Irish creams.

In a shaker, combine the Salted Caramel Vodka Liqueur, Kahlua coffee liqueur, and single cream into a cocktail shaker.
Shake gently into a blend – you don’t want to mix this one up too harshly due to the nature of the cream.
Place three ice cubes into a short glass tumbler and pour your Salted Caramel White Russian over the top.
Finish up with some rock salt, and a sprinkling of cacao powder if it takes your fancy.

Hotel Chocolat Salted Caramel Vodka Liqueur

Orange, Mango, and Passion Fruit Sparkler

What better way to add some festive sparkle to your celebrations than with the cocktail equivalent of a fireworks display? A colourful combination of tropical fruits is sure to give your immune system a much-needed boost during the winter months.

Ingredients

1 carton of orange juice (250ml per cocktail)
30ml of Mango & Passionfruit Gin
1 bottle of our Classic Prosecco
Orange slices and fresh cranberries for garnish
Ice cubes

Method

Bring a touch of summer glow indoors this Christmas season with this simple, easy-to-follow, juice-based cocktail.

Pour your orange juice into a pitcher.
Separately, set out some tall glasses (this is a less concentrated drink than other, shorter cocktails) and add 30ml of our Mango and Passionfruit Gin to each, and add 250ml of the orange juice to the glasses.
Top off each cocktail with Prosecco.
Garnish with orange slices and fresh cranberries, and serve immediately.
Optionally, you can even top your drink off with a mini sparkler to really add to the effect.

This is a fantastic, simple drink that isn’t too overwhelming.It’s also the perfect beverage for gin lovers.

Chocolate Peppermint Hot Chocolate

A minty, refreshing twist on our classic Hotel Chocolat drinking chocolate, and the best thing about this Christmas drink is that it can be either alcoholic or alcohol-freefor those who’d rather opt out of the tipple.

Ingredients

500ml milk
60 grams of our Milky 50% Hot Chocolate, or for a non-alcoholic version, add a sachet of our Dark with Mint Hot Chocolate
60ml of our Mint Chocolate Velvetised Cream for an alcoholic version
Whipped cream, and candy canes for garnish

Method

This is the perfect, warming drink for those cold winter nights, and it’s also great to get the kids involved for a non-alcoholic festive recipe using our Velvetiser.

Pour your milk and hot chocolate flakes into your Velvetiser. Close the lid, and let the Velvetiser do its whipping magic!
Once it’s finished combining the two into a deliciously cacao-rich mixture, add in the Mint Chocolate Velvetised Cream for an extra velvety, alcoholic twist.
Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkle some crushed peppermint candy canes on top to make your hot chocolate really look the part.

Our modified recipe creates a luxurious, creamy hot cacao experience using none other than our famous Velvetiser. It’s thick, creamy, indulgent, and refreshing – the perfect combination to get you and your loved ones in the festive spirit. From sipping a Chocolate Peppermint Hot Chocolate over a long overdue catchup to enjoying as you watch a TV Christmas special, it’s the perfect minty, winter warmer.