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Cocktail History
The Danger Zone is a modern cocktail that was created by Alla Lapushchik at Off Track Betting in New York City, New York and was first published in the book Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH. The bartender described the recipe as a boozy cross between thick eggnog and a sweet Orange Julius drink, and it’s made by shaking a spiced rum base with both orange and lemon juice, hazelnut, egg, soda water, and aromatic bitters.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with sugarcane, spices, and water that has been barrel aged for a long period of time. We used Appleton Estate Special Gold Rum because it has a delicious rum flavor with notes of vanilla and baking spices. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit in place of the rum.
Hazelnut Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with toasted hazelnuts, vanilla, baking spices, sugar, and alcohol. We used Frangelico because it has a unique sweet and nutty flavor with notes of cocoa. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Hazelnut Syrup in place of the hazelnut liqueur.
Orange Juice: This is the liquid juice of an orange. We used freshly squeezed orange juice.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Egg White & Yolk: This is both the clear liquid and yellow portion in an egg. We used fresh egg white and yolk because they add a rich, silky smooth texture.
Soda Water: This is a type of water that has been infused with carbon dioxide gas under pressure. We used Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water because it’s light, essentially flavorless, and refreshing.
Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Angostura Aromatic Bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
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Tasting Notes
The Danger Zone has aromas of allspice and orange, starts with a creamsicle-like taste comprised of funky rum notes and fruit, and finishes with more of the same sweet flavors along with a complex hit of dry nuttiness.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Though we think its more fit for warm weather, we both agreed that this super tasty cocktail could fit right at home in any mood or season.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This crushable orange treat feels a bit more summery than wintry to me in hindsight, but no seasons will stop it from being delicious. Sort of a combination of a Ramos Gin Fizz and a Flip, the drink features a heavy creaminess and a light-bodied fizziness at the same time, compliments of the combination of a whole egg and fizzy soda water. Its use of orange definitely gives it an Orange Julius vibe, as was mentioned in the book, and that alone solidifies its place on a horserace track during the summer season in my mind. That said, its muted citrus flavors alongside its full-bodied texture make it right at home in wintertime as well.”
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“The book described this recipe as similar to the flavor of an orange creamsicle, and I could certainly taste the resemblance. This frothy rum, egg, and citrus drink is oddly sweet but in a good way. As Alex pointed out, I could see this being a hit at a poolside bar during summertime, but I suppose it works during the winter too. It could almost replace the ice cream truck delight.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-10-03.
Danger Zone
The Danger Zone is a modern cocktail that was created by Alla Lapushchik at Off Track Betting in New York City, New York and was first published in the book Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH. The bartender described the recipe as a boozy cross between thick eggnog and a sweet Orange Julius drink, and it’s made by shaking a spiced rum base with both orange and lemon juice, hazelnut, egg, soda water, and aromatic bitters.
Ingredients
Method
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Add rum, hazelnut liqueur, orange juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white, egg yolk, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Remove ice from shaker.
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Dry shake for 5-10 more seconds to emulsify egg.
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Strain into a highball glass over fresh cracked ice.
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Garnish with bitters.
