'Tis the season to be jolly, and what better way to spread holiday cheer than with a classic Christmas movie and a festive cocktail in hand? In our Christmas and Cocktails movie feature, the spotlight is now on movie number 3 - the heartwarming and whimsical "Elf." To accompany the antics of Buddy the Elf, we've crafted not one, but two cocktails (well, one is a hot chocolate, but it's the BEST hot chocolate we've tried, and we've tried a lot!)
So here we have it. Try one. Try both!
Minced Pie Manhattan
Creating the star of the show, the Minced Pie Manhattan, is a process that involves infusing bourbon with the rich, festive flavours of minced meat. It's super easy and you can do it the day before- if you need it sooner, just shake it often to infuse faster.
Fine strain the bourbon to remove any solid particles, and then take it a step further by straining it through cheesecloth or muslin. This double-straining method ensures a smooth and velvety texture for your cocktail.
Now, seal the infused bourbon in a sterilized jar, ready to be the star of your Minced Pie Manhattan.
As Buddy the Elf would say, "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear," and we believe it's also sipping cheerfully with a Minced Pie Manhattan in hand.
Recipe:
60ml Minced Pie infused Bourbon
25ml vermouth (we like a blend of 15ml dry and 10ml sweet, but you can play around with what you have!)
2 dashes orange bitters
Method:
Add the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir well until chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Alternatives:
If this is too boozy for you, you can try a Reverse Manhattan (one of our faves). Simply change the ratio around, to 60ml vermouth and 25ml bourbon.
Not a fan of bourbon? Try this recipe with dark rum.
Buddy's Hot Chocolate Extravaganza
Yes we know, it's hardly a cocktail.....but it's just so dang tasty we had to include it in our feature. Plus we loved linking it with Elf, which means making the hot chocolate as decadent and fun as possible. Queue the optional shot of booze and the fun and excessive decorations. We also added a true Mindful Mixology twist and made it vegan. If you haven't tried hot chocolate with canned coconut milk- give this one a go!
Ingredients:
- 50ml Coconut milk (from the can)
- 50ml Oat milk
- 1tsp cacao powder (we used Green and Blacks)
- 20g (ish) Dark chocolate
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: Coconut rum, Baileys, Frangelico for a boozy twist
Toppings:
- Whipped cream (there are lots of vegan ones in the supermarkets)
- Chocolate sprinkles
- Candy canes
- Chocolate shavings
Method:
- In a pan, melt down a couple of spoons of dark hot chocolate powder with broken pieces of dark chocolate.
- Stir in coconut milk and plant milk and whisk until fully mixed (about 5 mins).
- Add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.
- Optional: For the adult version, add a splash of your favourite boozy infusion - coconut rum, Baileys, Frangelico, or Caleno.
- Now garnish! Go crazy. Picture the scene where Buddy adds chocolate to his spaghetti! And if you love this scene and want to go all in- garnish with a Straddles pasta straw.
So that's it! As always, send in your pics. Whether you have the booze-free version or our delicious Manhattan, our Christmas cocktails are sure to make your Christmas movie night truly unforgettable. Cheers to laughter, love, and the sweet taste of holiday magic!