This post was made in partnership with Kerrygold Irish Cream. Recipe and ideas are my own.
When I speak with friends and readers about what they’re drinking this summer, I’ve gotten a lot of answers along the lines of simple, at home recipes, or maybe some light and refreshing Sangria when they’re out for brunch or happy hour. I don’t hear very often of dessert cocktails as there sometimes can be a stigma surrounding them. So of course I had to set out to create one that all of you can enjoy this summer.
Sweet cocktails can many times feel too heavy, like you’ve just drank a bowl of ice cream, and honestly, no one should have to endure that. What I like about this drink is that while it leans towards a dessert it most definitely is not heavy. It walks the line between being light while also having a nice richness to it. That unexpected smoky flavor also gives it depth. Sound good so far?
I’m back again with Kerrygold Irish Cream, who provide some richness with cream and a touch of chocolate to the drink. I thought that those chocolate notes would pair really well with some dried Oaxacan chiles I had in my pantry which have a sweet, smoky aroma to them. If you can’t find any Oaxacan chiles, try guajillo peppers instead. I also wanted to punch up the chocolate factor here and added in some chocolate liqueur (and if you’ve been following along with my summer recipes then here’s another recipe with chocolate liqueur for you to try!). Lastly, to round it out I added in some lime juice for balance.
The resulting drink has a smooth and rich mouthfeel with smoky undertones, creaminess from the kerrygold, and a slightly bittersweet profile. Zingy lime flavor and spice from the rum with chocolate and spice aromas. In short, not what you think of when you hear dessert cocktail. So let’s mix some up!
Kerrygold Chocolate Chile Cocktail
1-1/2 ounces aged rum
3/4 ounce Kerrygold Irish Cream
1/2 ounce Oaxacan chiles syrup (recipe follows)
1/4 ounce chocolate liqueur
1/2 ounce lime juice
In a shaker filled 2/3 with ice, combine aged rum, Kerrygold Irish Cream, Oaxacan chiles syrup, chocolate liqueur, and lime juice. Shake about 20 seconds and strain into a coupe glass.
Oaxacan Chiles Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 large or 2-3 small dried Oaxacan chiles
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar and water. Stir to dissolve all the sugar and then add the whole dried chiles. Bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep 1-2 hours, covered. Strain into an airtight container and store refrigerated up to one month.
Mint and chocolate are such a perfect pairing in my mind that every time my husband tells me he ABHORS the two flavors together I want to throw a shoe at him. The nerve! It’s SO good! And I hope you all agree with me!
As some of you might know, I’ve teamed up with Kerrygold Irish Cream this summer to create some FUN recipes to enjoy in these warm months (Southern Hemisphere readers, bookmark these for your summer!). And today, Kerrygold Irish Cream is kicking in some creamy, chocolate flavors with a touch of Irish Whiskey with these minty fresh popsicles. To make them extra rich, we’re using two types of coconut milk, and a touch of chocolate liqueur for additional chocolate flavor! These aren’t dairy free (because Kerrygold has cream in it) but I find that using the coconut milk creates a much richer popsicle with a better mouth feel. Sometimes just milk creates an “icy” popsicle and I wasn’t looking for that here. Optionally, I’ve also added as a topping some white chocolate that I’ve colored green… reminiscent of that classic ice cream color. Also, I like any excuse to create some magic shell.
Kerrygold Mint Chocolate Popsicles