As a delicious shot, poured over desserts, or splashed in cocktails – chocolate takes on a whole other realm of taste sensations when in the form of liqueur
Chocolate liqueur is experiencing a new lease of life with premium brands such as Mozart, Baileys and Ruavieja competing with other lesser-known brands, all vying for prime position on the shelves of the best bars and cocktail lounges.
You don’t have to be a chocoholic to appreciate that chocolate liqueurs serve up a decadent way of turning your average cocktail into a chocolatey delight.
The Lumumba for example, typically made with chocolate-flavoured milkshake and brandy (or rum), gets a luscious leg-up if you use a milk base plus chocolate liqueur. Death by Chocolate combines coffee liqueur vodka, ice cream and chocolate syrup and is to die for with a slug of chocolate liqueur. Or try the Bay Hill Hummer, with vodka, brandy, chocolate liqueur and vanilla ice cream; it’ll have you humming all the way home. Turn the classic Martini on its head by mixing white chocolate liqueur with the vodka, and give a margarita a sweet twist with an extra of chocolate liqueur added to the tequila, triple sec, lime and salt.
The C-4 Cocktail is a colourful departure, with bitter-orange flavoured Curaçao, golden Tequila and Cointreau. Or the Caipiroska, which tastes great with an extra measure of chocolate liqueur poured over the lime juice, vodka and crushed ice. For added decadence, try the Vanilia Grasshopper, topped with lashings of whipped cream layered on top of the chocolate, peppermint, and vanilla vodka mix.
Domestic and professional mixologists are spoilt for choice when deciding which brand to reach for. Help is at hand at bebidasexquisitas.com – a specialist website with a top ten of chocolate liqueurs. In the number one spot is Baileys Chocolat Luxe, a smooth fusion of Irish whisky cream and delicious real Belgian chocolate. This is closely followed by the classic Mozart Liqueur Chocolate Cream, as carefully and meticulously crafted as the finest chocolates. Its creamy aroma, rich, velvety mouthfeel and long finish are perfectly rounded off with soft caramel notes. It’s a true delicacy available in dark and white chocolate cream varieties.
Alongside these on the winners’ podium is Crema de Chocolate Ruavieja, an exclusive limited edition Christmas liqueur and the brand’s first foray into chocolate cream. It blends intense chocolate with notes of nuts, coffee and brandy for a sweet, balanced flavour that leaves a mouthwatering nutty and chocolatey aftertaste.
