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Cocktail History
The Blitzen is a Novel Nightcaps original cocktail that was created as a Christmas-inspired twist on hot chocolate. Like many holiday cocoa recipes, this one starts with my favorite indulgent hot cocoa mix and milk, and it adds the unique flavor combination of blueberry, minty amaro, and dark chocolate liqueur.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Milk: This is a liquid rich in calcium and protein that is produced by mammals. I used Prairie Farm Vitamin D Whole Milk.
Blueberry Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with blueberries, sugar, alcohol, and water. I used Tattersall Distilling Blueberry Liqueur.
Fernet-Branca Menta: This is an amaro made in Italy with peppermint, gentian root, aloe, herbs, spices, sugar, alcohol, and water.
Dark Crème De Cacao: This is a liqueur made with dark chocolate, spices, sugar, alcohol, and water. I used DeKuyper Crème De Cacao Dark Liqueur.
Hot Cocoa Mix: This is a sweetened chocolate product made with ground cocoa beans and sugar. I used Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Premium Hot Cocoa Mix.
Whipped Cream: This is heavy cream that has been whipped and beaten until it’s light and fluffy. I used Reddi-Wip Original Dairy Whipped Topping.
Cocoa Powder: This is cocoa bean that has been ground into a fine powder. I used Ghirardelli Majestic Premium Cocoa Powder.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Bar Mat: This is used to catch any ingredients that are spilled. I used the Highball & Chaser 18×12 Bar Mat.
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Saucepan: This is used to warm ingredients. I used the Cuisinart 3-Quart Stainless Steel Saucepan with Cover.
Spatula: This is used to stir the ingredients. I used the OXO Silicone Spatula.
Ladle: This is used to transfer the drink to cups. I used the OXO Good Grips Silicone Everyday Ladle.
Irish Coffee Mug: This is used to hold the cocktail. I used a Godinger Dublin Irish Coffee Mug.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Rich and dark cocoa color
• Aroma: Chocolate and cream
• Taste: Sweet blueberry mixed with pleasant, bright chocolate
• Finish: An accenting note of slightly herbal, menthol-laced Fernet-Branca
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “I lovingly dubbed this recipe a ‘Christmas Frankenstein’ because a bunch of ingredients were quite literally flung into an otherwise simple drink to see what happened. I really wasn’t sure what to expect of the blueberry and Fernet Branca-Menta additions; you don’t see blueberry paired with chocolate in general that often, for example. But I thought both made The Blitzen an incredibly unique and much more complex hot cocoa than I’d ever tried before. Recreate it sometime if you have the ingredients on hand and want a really interesting hot chocolate drink at Christmastime!”
Recipe
The Blitzen
The Blitzen is a Novel Nightcaps original cocktail that was created as a Christmas-inspired twist on hot chocolate. Like many holiday cocoa recipes, this one starts with my favorite indulgent hot cocoa mix and milk, and it adds the unique flavor combination of blueberry, minty amaro, and dark chocolate liqueur.
Ingredients
Method
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Whisk hot cocoa mix into milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
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When warm, pour hot cocoa, blueberry liqueur, Fernet-Branca Menta, and dark crème de cacao into a mug.
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Stir for 5-10 seconds.
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Garnish with whipped cream and cocoa powder.
