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Cocktail History
The Chocolate Blood Orange-tini is a Christmas cocktail that was created by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, as a variation of the Chocolate Orange-tini included in Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter, a recipe book written by Jassy Davis. This version enhances the tartness of the citrus by using blood orange gin as the base, and it blends the zesty gin with creamy elements and chocolate, recreating the beloved flavor of chocolate-covered blood orange candy, which is especially popular during the holiday season. It’s a festive and indulgent take on a holiday favorite.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Blood Orange Gin: This is a spirit made with blood oranges, juniper berries, botanicals, alcohol, and water. I used Whitley Neill Blood Orange Gin.
Triple Sec: This is a liqueur made with bitter oranges, lemons, sugar, alcohol, and water. I used Cointreau.
Heavy Cream: This is a thick, high-fat milk product. I used Prairie Farms Dairy Heavy Whipping Cream.
Dark Crème De Cacao: This is a liqueur made with dark chocolate, spices, sugar, alcohol, and water. I used Bols Crème De Cacao Dark Liqueur.
White Crème De Cacao: This is a liqueur made with white chocolate, vanilla, sugar, alcohol, and water. I used Bols Crème De Cacao White.
Chocolate Bitters: This is a food product made with chocolate, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.
Grated Dark Chocolate: This is candy made with cocoa, sugar, and milk. I used a Divine Dark Chocolate Bar.
Orange Twist: This is the peel of an orange that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface to catch spills, provide grip for glasses and tools, and keep the workspace clean and organized. I used the Highball & Chaser 18×12 Bar Mat.
Jigger: This is a small, double-sided measuring tool that’s used to accurately portion spirits and mixers, typically with one side measuring 1 oz and the other 1.5 or 2 oz. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is a two-piece cocktail shaker consisting of a metal tin and a glass or metal mixing glass that’s used for shaking and blending ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is a metal strainer with a spring around its edge that’s used to filter out ice and solids when pouring the cocktail into a glass. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Grater: This is a tool that’s used to finely shred or zest ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips Grater.
Peeler: This is a small, handheld tool with a sharp blade that’s used to remove the outer skin of fruits and vegetables. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
Martini Glass: This is a stemmed glass with a wide, shallow bowl and a narrow stem. I used the Libbey Capone Martini Glass.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Light brown color
• Aroma: Chocolate and citrus
• Taste: Dark, slightly bitter chocolate flavor that’s followed by sweet cream and tangy orange
• Finish: Bright citrus aftertaste with more cocoa
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “It wasn’t until my mid-20s that I was introduced to the wonder of chocolate oranges because I didn’t grow up munching on them at the holidays. If you want a drink version of this beloved holiday candy, you have found it. This martini is honestly incredibly delicious and balanced; there’s not too much chocolate or orange flavor, and its booziness makes it even better. I personally still prefer hot cocoa cocktails at Christmastime, but I really appreciated the Chocolate Blood Orange-tini and its inspiration.”
Recipe
Chocolate Blood Orange-tini
The Chocolate Blood Orange-tini is a Christmas cocktail that was created by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, as a variation of the Chocolate Orange-tini included in Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter, a recipe book written by Jassy Davis. This version ups the tart citrus flavor by using a blood orange gin as its base and mixes it with cream and chocolate to create a recipe similar to that chocolate orange candy that is popular around the holidays.
Ingredients
Method
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Coarsely grate chocolate onto a plate, coat outer rim of martini glass with simple syrup, and roll glass in grated chocolate until coated.
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Add blood orange gin, triple sec, heavy cream, dark crème de cacao, white crème de cacao, cocoa bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into chocolate-rimmed martini glass.
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Garnish with orange twist.
