Chocolate liqueur

Chocolate liqueur is a tasty drink that tastes like chocolate and contains alcohol. It is made by mixing a strong alcohol, such as whisky or vodka, with chocolate flavorings. This special mix is very different from something called "chocolate liquor," which is made from fermented cocoa beans and has no alcohol at all. You can find more about chocolate liquor here.

People often use chocolate liqueur in making drinks, desserts, and other recipes. It adds a rich, chocolatey flavor to cakes, cookies, and even special cocktails. Because it contains alcohol, it is usually enjoyed by older people who can legally drink. If you're interested in learning more about how liquids are used in drinks, you can read about mixology. For ideas on using it in baking, check out baking, and for general cooking tips, visit cooking.

History

Chocolate liqueur has been enjoyed for a very long time. Records show that people were making a chocolate-flavored drink with alcohol as early as 1666. In places like New England, people liked to mix chocolate with wines such as sherry and port, along with sugar, to make a special drink called "chocolate wine" before the American Revolution. French cookbooks and manuals from the 1700s and 1800s also shared recipes for chocolate liqueur. These old recipes show how people have been creatively mixing chocolate and alcohol for centuries.

Recipes

Early recipes for chocolate liqueur used whole cocoa beans. Today, a simple way to make it at home includes chocolate extract, vanilla extract, vodka, and simple syrup. Some recipes add glycerine to make the liqueur thicker. Pure chocolate liqueur is clear, but coloring can be added for flavor. Some home recipes use raw eggs, which can be unsafe unless mixed with alcohol first. Older methods used cocoa beans mixed with classic liqueur, and modern chocolate wine is a type of chocolate liqueur.

Uses

Chocolate liqueur can be enjoyed on its own as a special after-dinner drink. It is also popular in mixed drinks and sweet treats, like dessert sauces, cakes, and truffles. Adding chocolate liqueur to melted chocolate can sometimes change the texture of the chocolate.

Wine and chocolate taste great together, and this idea is used in some fun cocktails that mix strong red wine with a bit of chocolate liqueur.

Varieties

There are three types of chocolate liqueur: liqueur, cream liqueur, and crème de cacao.

Some popular chocolate liqueurs include Afrikoko (coconut and chocolate), Ashanti Gold, Bicerin Di Giandujotto (chocolate and hazelnut), Godiva Dark Chocolate, Intramuros Liqueur de Cacao, Liqueur Fogg, Mozart Black (dark chocolate), OM Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt Liqueur, Royal Mint-Chocolate Liqueur (French), Sabra liqueur (dark chocolate and Jaffa oranges), Thornton's Chocolate Liqueur, and Mon Chéri.

Chocolate cream liqueurs include Cadbury Cream Liqueur, Dooley's White Chocolate Cream Liqueur, Dorda Double Chocolate Liqueur, Dwersteg's Organic Chocolate Cream Liqueur, Godiva White Chocolate, Hotel Chocolat Velvetised Chocolate Cream, Florcello Chocolate Orange Cream Liqueur, Mozart Gold Chocolate Cream Liqueur, Mozart White Chocolate Cream Liqueur, Vana Tallinn Chocolate Cream, and Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur.

Crème de cacao can be clear or dark, often called dark crème de cacao. It is a sweet liqueur with a rich chocolate flavor. White crème de cacao is clearer and more delicate, while the dark version keeps the natural color of the cacao beans. Vanilla is often added to improve the smell and sweetness. The alcohol level in crème de cacao is usually around 20–25% ABV (40–50 proof (U.S.)).