An emerald assortment of fine liquors and not a green beer in sight.
Green for St. Patrick’s Day! Green for spring! A few of our favorite green hued liquor picks just in time for the weekend.
1. Ancho Reyes Verde 2. Jägermeister 3. Ardbeg 4. Green Chartreuse 5. Grüne Fee Absinthe 6. Ford’s Gin 7. Becherovka 8. Green vintage shaker set
This post was made in partnership with Kerrygold Irish Cream. Recipe and ideas are my own.
In lieu of a green drink this year for St. Patrick’s Day, I decided to do you all a favor and create something you’ll want even more. Also, that you can eat. And, yes, there’s booze in there. And some green.
We’re making Grasshopper Brownies today with Kerrygold Irish Cream. Based on the components of the classic dessert cocktail, The Grasshopper, these decadent brownies are minty, chocolatey, boozy, and so that no one goes into a sugar coma, small batched. A Grasshopper cocktail includes crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and cream, all of which in some form are found in these brownies. So hopefully it goes without saying, but 21+ please!
These brownies might look like a labor of love, THREE layers! But rest assured, they come together pretty easily. Let’s look at each layer for a minute. First, the base of this dessert is the brownie, which, in my opinion, is the essential layer to all of this. Because I wanted this to be a small batch recipe and only yield about 8, 2″ pieces, I looked to my favorite brownie recipe from Dessert for Two. It only requires one bowl, the microwave does some of the heavy lifting, and it’s just so fudge-y and delicious. This is also the Kerrygold Irish Cream Layer which tics two of the Grasshopper ingredients: chocolate and cream. The flavor of the Kerrygold is present, but doesn’t overpower the brownie itself. I wanted to make sure it was balanced and not too boozy.
Next you have two different chocolate layers: the green mint layer with crème de menthe, and the chocolate top layer. These require a little more patience and a little stove-top stirring. The green layer can be achieved by one of two ways. Your first option is to add green crème de menthe. Second, you can use peppermint extract (or clear crème de menthe) with green food coloring. If crème de menthe in any color is hard to come by where you are, then peppermint extract can be found through online retailers. And for the final layer, you can optionally add in some crème de cacao to the ganache although I found it chocolate enough for my tastes. Both these layers will set up firm, but not hard.
Note: if you’d like a clean cut, keep these refrigerated until right before cutting. Then, run your knife under hot water, dry and immediately make your cut. Repeat for each cut or when there is brownie buildup on the knife. You can skip these steps if you don’t care if the chocolate layer runs a little into the green.
Now, will this be the most amazing dessert to bring to your St. Patrick’s Day party? Yes, probably. Will people ooh and ahh about what you made? Definitely. Will you be able to leave with a few spare brownies? I doubt it. But you can make more next week too. Let’s get baking!
Kerrygold Irish Cream Grasshopper BrowniesAdapted from Dessert for Two
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup Kerrygold Irish Cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons creme de menthe or one teaspoon peppermint extract
green food coloring, optional
In a double boiler over medium heat, combine white chocolate and cream. Stir until chocolate is fully melted. Remove from double boiler and stir in creme de menthe (or peppermint extract) and green food coloring if using. Chill for 30 minutes.
5 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup butter, diced
In a double boiler over medium heat, combine chocolate and butter. Stir until chocolate is fully melted. Remove from double boiler. Chill for 30 minutes.
To finish assembly, spread chilled mint layer evenly over brownie layer. Chill 15 minutes. Spread chilled chocolate layer evenly over mint layer. Refrigerate at least two hours or overnight. Cut into squares and serve.
There’s no amateur hour around these parts.
Grab some whiskey and a blender and let’s celebrate!
Irish Coffee Jello Shots Two Ways
24 Karat Irish Coffee with Chila ‘Orchata
This post was made in partnership with Kerrygold Irish Cream. Recipe and ideas are my own.
This past Christmas we were gifted several POUNDS of chocolates. And yes, you would be correct to assume that’s a lot of chocolate. These boxes lasted us well into the new year and now, a few days into February the crunch of salted almond bark and the heavy, chewy nougat still linger in my memory. And gosh, next week is Valentine’s Day already!
I told my husband that this year I would like flowers, and maybe some burgers, but please don’t buy me a box of chocolates. Still, Valentine’s Day doesn’t seem like a holiday without something sweet. So this year I’ve decided that something light, with a hint of chocolate, and a tart burst of fruit would suit my palate more. And hey, why not throw some booze in there too?
I’ve teamed up with Kerrygold Irish Cream to make my alternative to a box of chocolate bon bons this year: Passion Fruit and Kerrygold Irish Cream Cocktail Jellies. More petite than your average jello shot, with a refined taste similar to what you’d expect from a fancy sweets shop. These are pretty low on the ABV scale but still, adults only!
I love a fruit gelée and right now I’m on a passion fruit kick. That sweet-tart golden liquid is a wonderful contrast to the rich, creamy Kerrygold Irish Cream. With a hint of chocolate, real cream and a touch of Irish whiskey, you don’t need to add much to these jellies to make a delicious treat; you just need a little patience.
A few notes for this recipe:
1/2 cup passion fruit puree
1/2 cup water
3 packets gelatine
2 cups Kerrygold Irish Cream, divided
pinch of salt
Make the passion fruit layer first: pour water into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. In a wide bowl, pour in passion fruit puree. Sprinkle one packet of gelatine over the top. Let sit a few minutes until bloomed (no granules should be visible). Once bloomed, pour the boiling water over the passion fruit and whisk until the gelatine is dissolved. Pour passion fruit mixture into the bottom of your molds and refrigerate one hour or until it starts to set (see note above).
Next, make the Kerrygold Irish Cream layer: pour 1 cup of the Kerrygold Irish Cream and pinch of salt into a small saucepan and bring to just under a boil. In a wide bowl, pour in the second cup of Kerrygold Irish Cream. Sprinkle one packet of gelatine over the top. Let sit a few minutes until bloomed (no granules should be visible). Once bloomed, pour the hot Kerrygold Irish Cream over the bloomed gelatine mixture. Whisk until combined and then slowly pour over the almost set passion fruit layer. Refrigerate. Allow to set completely 6 hours or overnight.
To serve the jellies: for round molds, carefully run a small spoon around the edge and slowly invert the mold to pop out. If using square or straight-sided molds, run a butter knife around the edge and slowly invert the mold to pop out the shot. For other shapes or non-flexible molds, dip the bottom of the mold in warm water for 15 seconds, invert mold onto a baking sheet, and gently tap the mold to release the jellies. Jellies can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
This post was made in partnership with Kerrygold Irish Cream. Recipe and ideas are my own.
I know. You’re thinking to yourself… “FROZEN drinks? In winter?! Has she lost her mind?!” But here’s the thing, I L-O-V-E an iced coffee. I drink them year round. And no, it’s not because I live in Southern California. I understand a frozen drink in winter can be a hard sell, especially if you’re braving below zero temps. However, I’m not asking you to drink it outdoors; I’m not that crazy. If you can eat a bowl of ice cream while watching tv at night, you can enjoy a Frozen Irish Coffee this week.
Oh and guess what? It just happens to be National Irish Coffee day on Friday so there’s another excuse to pull out the blender and whip one up!
Any Irish Coffee starts with, well, coffee. For this frozen version I decided on using a cold brew for a slightly sweeter taste to the overall drink. The coffee flavor is also a bit stronger too than regular brewed coffee. But to give it a more fuller coffee taste, I’ve also added in a touch of coffee liqueur. The Irish whiskey gets added in twice here. Once in straight boozy form, and the second with our whiskey-cream-chocolate bomb Kerrygold Irish Cream. The grass-fed milk used in Kerrygold adds a lovely creamy consistency to the drink while the real chocolate gives just a hint of flavor to the final drink.
To round out the drink and give it some additional complexity, I’ve sweetened the coffee with a cinnamon and demerara syrup. A tiny bit of cinnamon gives some sweet and woody notes, while the rich, toasty demerara syrup heightens the coffee flavor (it’s a favorite of mine in coffee drinks).
If you’re already sipping on a hot Irish Coffee this week, then I would highly suggest that you put this recipe in your back pocket until March for that other Irish holiday that this would be totally appropriate for. You could even cover it in green sprinkles (you should definitely do that).
Lastly, you folks may or may not know this already, but in my younger years I used to spin records around Los Angeles (for fun, not as my sole career). So I was thrilled when Kerrygold asked if I could provide some listening soundtracks to the drinks I’ve partnered with them to make. Now, the records (and I mean actual 45s and LPs) that I spun were from my collection of late 1950’s to early 1970’s girl group and garage. These lists will cherrypick a few from there, but I’ll also pick from a wide selection of favorites from all kinds of genres (I also did a classic country stint for about a month too!). If you give it a listen, let me know what you think! You can find all the playlists here on their Spotify page!
Makes 2 drinks
12 ounces cold brew coffee
4 ounces Kerrygold Irish Cream
1 ounce coffee liqueur
2 ounces cinnamon-demerara syrup (recipe follows)
whipped cream and cinnamon, optional
1 cup demerara sugar
1 cup water
3 pieces of cinnamon, 2″ in length
In a saucepan, combine the sugar and the water over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar crystals and then add in the cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain into an airtight container and store refrigerated for up to one month.
This post was made in partnership with Kerrygold Irish Cream. Recipe and ideas are my own.
Growing up, any rich, chocolate cake that sandwiched a generous helping of frosting was a favorite of mine. Candy I could take or leave, but cake sandwiches… OH YES PLEASE. Now I get to make an adult version with Kerrygold Irish Cream laced buttercream and for extra pep: cold brew coffee cake. Whoopie Pies should not just be for kids, which is why I make my grown up versions ginormous; then you can catch a little bit of nostalgia with every bite.
Cakes (makes 5 cakes):
1/2 lb. butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa, dutch-processed
10 ounces all purpose flour
1/2 cup cold brew coffee
1/2 cup milk
Filling (this filling can be doubled if you want extra filling):
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 pound powdered sugar
2-1/2 tablespoons Kerrygold Irish Cream
To make:
Prepare the frosting by creaming together the butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Pour in the Kerrygold Irish Cream until incorporated. Filling can be kept refrigerated in a sealed container up to four days.
Next, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cakes by creaming the sugar and butter together until smooth. Add in the egg and mix until incorporated. Next add in baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Sift in cocoa powder and mix until combined. Mix in 1/2 of flour and the cold brew, and then mix in second half of flour and the milk. Stir until just combined. Scoop out a 1/4 cup of mixture onto a sheet pan covered in parchment. You can fit 5 scoops on each sheet pan. Bake 16-18 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Cool on sheet pan and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Store in an air tight container until ready to use.
To assemble, spread filling on flat side of one half of the cakes. Top with second half of cake. Eat. Enjoy!
This post was made in partnership with Chila ‘Orchata. Recipe and ideas are my own.
Next week is St. Patrick’s Day, and while some of you out there might be stockpiling green food coloring and cheap beer, I implore you, back away from that green squeeze bottle and pick up… a coffee.
Now there might be some purists out there who like their Irish Coffee in the straight, no nonsense way: Irish whiskey, coffee, cream. And that’s all good and fine, but I did not create this website to just stick to the classics. So, for those of you looking for a way to make an Irish Coffee even better (yes, I am saying I like my version better), then let’s talk about how to do just that.
I’ll just say that we’re going to leave the Irish whiskey where it is; you really don’t need to change that part. But now here’s the fun parts: Chila ‘Orchata and spiced coffee syrup. Today we’re teaming up with Chila ‘Orchata, the most delicious blend of Puerto Rican rum, real dairy cream, Tahitian vanilla, and cinnamon, to make an iced version of this classic drink. Why iced? Because I drink about 3 cups of iced coffee a day and prefer that over hot. Also, I get to make more yummy coffee syrup this week and change it up by adding some warm spices to it. Playing off of the vanilla and cinnamon in the Chila ‘Orchata, I’m adding some additional cinnamon and star anise to the coffee syrup; it’ll be a warm spice bomb to the chilled booze.
And while you could definitely top yours off with plain old whipped cream, I’m going the coconut cream route with just a touch of sweetness from maple syrup. You can actually pick up coconut whipped cream at the grocery store now, but if you have a can of coconut cream at home and a whipper, I’m including how to make it in the notes below. The coconut cream pairs really well with the cinnamon and spices, and I prefer mine barely sweetened to offset the sweetness in the drink (another plus to making your own coconut whipped cream is the ability to control the sugar going into it).
Because it’s not St. Patrick’s Day without a little gold, I’m garnishing the whole thing with edible gold leaf. It maaaay be too pretty to drink, but I’ll try anyway. And I hope you do too! Cheers!
24 Karat Irish Whiskey2 ounces Irish whiskey
1 ounce Chila ‘Orchata
1 ounce spiced coffee syrup, see recipe below
1 shot espresso, chilled (optional, see note below)
whipped coconut cream (see note below)
edible gold leaf
In a shaker 2/3 filled with ice, combine the Irish whiskey, Chila ‘Orchata, spiced coffee syrup and espresso shot, if using. Shake for 20 seconds and strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Top with whipped coconut cream and a gold leaf garnish.
½ cup strong espresso
¾ cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 star anise, whole
Combine espresso with sugar in a saucepan over medium high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to almost a boil and lower to a simmer. Add cinnamon and star anise. Reduce until thickened about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cool and refrigerate in an airtight container. Will keep up to 2 weeks.
Notes:
For more information on Chila ‘Orchata, please visit their website at chilaorchata.com.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone! Let me help you pick out what you should be drinking and eating today. I am a 1/4 Irish after all…
Irish Whiskey Truffles with Baileys Crystals
And a few Green Drinks…
Frozen Cucumber and Green Chartreuse Daiquiri Cocktail
Procrastination has gotten the better of me this week as we speed, much too fast for my liking, into the 3rd month of the year. March is looking to be the most jam packed month yet this year as I’ve said “yes” to maybe one too many events, my mother is in town, and we celebrate multiple birthdays, St. Patrick’s Day (I am a 1/4 Irish), and Easter. So of course, instead of working on projects, I’ve been covering my ears and eyes going NAH NAH NAH NAH NAH and making batches of brownies and spending copious amounts of time photographing my purse contents.
I did take the time to make you guys a little something special for St. Patrick’s Day though this year. I hope it makes up for those purse photos.
It’s like a cocktail, but you eat it: Irish Coffee Jello Shots.
So here’s the thing. I enjoy an Irish Coffee from time to time; like, a few sips and then I’m usually done. It’s a lot of hot coffee and I’m usually drinking it late in the evening when a giant hot coffee is not really what I want right then. I’m also usually drinking them at a party or an event and bless their hearts for trying, but the coffee is usually not very good either. To control this situation for myself, and hopefully for you all, let’s get a delicious coffee and miniaturize it with the right amount of booze and not force people to drink giant hot coffees at 8pm.
I went ahead and created a straight up Irish Coffee version, garnished with the tiniest of lemon peel, and then bastardized it and went crazy adding in chocolate and Fernet Branca because I love chocolate mint anything including my coffee and for this one occasion, with my whiskey. Ooooh, I’m so crazy…
The original version of these has a strong, rich coffee flavor with a hint of whiskey at the finish. The cream is mixed in so you’re not trying to eat a delicate jello shot while whipped cream melts all over your fingers – gross. For the mocha-mint version, you get a lot of Fernet (a little goes a long way!) with a strong mocha finish and a more subtle whiskey punch at the end.
Irish Coffee Jello Shots (Makes 24, 2/5 ounce shots)2-1/2 ounces freshly brewed coffee, room temp
1 ounce brown sugar syrup (1:1 ratio)
1 packet of gelatine
2 ounces near boiling water
1/2 ounce heavy cream
2 ounces Irish Whiskey, Bushmills used here
lemon zest for garnish
2-1/2 ounces freshly brewed coffee, room temp
1/2 ounce brown sugar syrup (1:1 ratio)
1 packet of gelatine
1/4 teaspoon cocoa powder
2 ounces near boiling water
1/2 ounce heavy cream
1/4 ounce Fernet Branca
2 ounces Irish Whiskey, Bushmills used here
chocolate shavings for garnish
Are you guys into these? I have a few more ideas up my sleeve I’ll be rolling out over the next few months.
You’ve heard it said, “Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.†Well, I’m either one quarter or one eighth Irish, depending on which relative I consult, and I can tell you that, sadly, I don’t qualify as truly Irish on St. Patrick’s or any other day of the year. I’m not proud to say so, but it’s true. It’s not for lack of trying.
I went to an Irish Catholic school where several of the nuns were direct from Ireland, replete with charming accents– though the nuns themselves were rather sour. One of the nuns walked into my third grade classroom, declared that it was filthy, gave two boys a toothbrush, spat on the floor, and told the boys to start scrubbing. I sometimes think I might have known more Irish nuns than Irish families. The Irish families I did know lived in houses filled with crucifixes. I’m sure they must have had other decorative knick-knacks, but I only remember crucifixes. For me, everything Irish was a bit severe and austere– from the dour nuns to the simple cabbage and beef we ate on St. Patrick’s Day.
Then one Halloween, the Irish Catholic school burned down under suspicious circumstances, and I was relocated to the Italian Catholic school. The Italian school was completely different. Holidays were more cheerful. The clergy enjoyed themselves (and their wine) a good deal more than the nuns ever had. The food at church events tasted better. Cannoli, ravioli, stromboli. And suddenly, St. Patrick was eclipsed by St. Joseph. St. Joseph’s Day is two days after St. Patrick’s Day, and the Italians loved it. Everyone ate zeppole (a little like cannoli, but better, so, so good), and wore red and white, and went to the Knights of Columbus parade. There were flowers and candles, an explosion of color.
Mind you, I’m not trying to pick favorites. I’m just telling you what I experienced.
For this St. Patrick’s Day, I plan to forgo the green beer– in fact, I’ll probably pass up the beer altogether. Instead, I’m mixing up a cocktail with a bit of a mixed heritage: half Irish whiskey, and half Italian amaro.
1 ounce Irish Whiskey, Bushmills 10 used here
1 ounce amaro, Averna used here
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 ounce demerara syrup
luxardo cherry garnish
Combine whiskey, amaro, lemon juice and syrup together in a shaker filled 2/3 with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the cherry.
There’s a nice contrast between the light, floral whiskey and the spicy, rich amaro. It starts with a punch of sour flavor that immediately moves into sweetness, and the bite of the whiskey and the lasting bitterness of the amaro stay with you until the next sip. It’s a cocktail with a lot of character. Like those Irish nuns. And those Italian priests.
***This recipe was originally created for Serious Eats and appeared on the site this past week.