INGREDIENTS:
1 C. Best Quality Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 - 750 ml. Bottle of Good Vodka
EQUIPMENT:
Large Glass Container with Lid
Medium Metal Strainer (the size the coffee filters will fit)
Coffee Filters
Decorative Bottles with Sealable Caps or Corks
Labels
DIRECTIONS:
Mix:
Simply pour the unsweetened cocoa powder and the vodka into your large glass container and seal the lid. Place this in the refrigerator for a minimum of two weeks and up to a month. Shake the bottle well at least once a day.
After two weeks you can taste test your chocolate vodka to see if it’s “chocolate-y” enough for you. The longer you allow the cocoa to distill in the vodka the stronger, and more mellow, the chocolate taste.
Strain:
Once your chocolate vodka has the right amount of flavor for you, it’s time to filter. To do this, simply place your metal strainer over a bowl or container, slip in the coffee filter and pour in your chocolate vodka and allow this to strain. You’ll do this several times, using new filters each time. It takes from ten minutes to 30 minutes or longer for each filtering step so just pour it in and walk away to do something else. Patience is its own reward here. When your chocolate vodka is completely filtered you’re ready to pour into your decorative bottle and add your label!
INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 C. Granulated Sugar
3/4 C. Water
5 Tbsp. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 – 750 ml. Bottle of Good Vodka
1 Vanilla Bean
TOOLS:
Small saucepan
2 Qt. Glass Container with Tight Lid
Medium Metal Strainer (to fit the coffee filters)
Coffee Filters
Decorative Bottles with Caps or Corks
Labels
DIRECTIONS:
Mix:
Heat the sugar, cocoa and water in your saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to boil, stirring constantly. Immediately after the boil starts, reduce your heat to low and stir until all the ingredients are completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow this mixture to cool to room temperature.
Once cool, pour this cocoa mixture into your glass container, stir in the vodka and add your vanilla bean halves. Seal up and store in the refrigerator for two weeks, shaking the bottle vigorously every day.
Strain:
Remove the vanilla pods. Set your metal strainer over a bowl or container (I like to use containers with a pour spout!) Place one coffee filter in the strainer then pour in the chocolate liqueur. This will strain slowly as it will be thick, so I like to only fill each filter about half way and use a new filter each time. Be patient and slowly the liquid will filter through, it can take up to an hour or more for each filter. Repeat until you’ve filtered all of your chocolate liqueur, using a new coffee filter each time.
Bottle, Age, Enjoy:
Once you’ve filtered all your chocolate liqueur you can pour into your decorative bottle(s) and label. You can enjoy your chocolate liqueur immediately, but if you allow it to age for another month you get a smoother, richer depth of flavor.
There are two methods for creating a Chocolate Candy Bar Liqueur from your favorite candy bar. One is easy as 1-2-3 and the other involves just a bit of work. I’ve used both methods and find both work depending on what kind of candy bar you’re using!
1-2-3 EASY & DELICIOUS
INGREDIENTS:
1 Bottle of Vodka
1 Cup Candy Bar Pieces Chopped Up
TOOLS:
Glass Container for distilling
Possibly Straining Equipment*
DIRECTIONS:
This easy recipe simply involves taking your candy bar(s), chopping them up into small enough pieces, adding them to your vodka and then placing your bottle or container in the freezer** for up to two weeks. (P.S. I cheated and used mine the next day and they were good, but the extra distilling time really mellowed them out!) I find this works very well with plain chocolate or flavored chocolates.
If you’re using plain chocolate there is no need to strain your liqueur, you can simply bottle it in a decorative bottle, add a label and it’s ready to enjoy or be given as a gift.
I don’t recommend this method for candy bars with caramel, nougat or hard pieces of toffee or similar ingredients; instead I suggest using the heating method below.
I used this technique to create Chocolate CAKE Liqueur using CAKE vodka for my Chocolate Birthday Cake Martini in place of plain vodka as well!
ALMOST AS EASY YUMMY
INGREDIENTS:
1 Bottle of Vodka
1 Cup Candy Bar Pieces Chopped Up
TOOLS:
Double Boiler (or equivalent*)
Glass Container for distilling
Possibly Straining Equipment*
DIRECTIONS:
Here you are going to heat your candy pieces in a double boiler (I use a metal or Pyrex bowl that sets inside a medium saucepan but leaves a good inch and a half for water as a double boiler). Fill your sauce pan or double boiler about half full with water and set bowl on top. You want enough water to surround the bottom of your bowl but not enough that it will seep over the top! You cannot get water into melting chocolate as the chocolate will seize and be ruined. (Yes, experts can recover from this but let’s not have to deal with that, okay?)
Place your chopped up candy bars into the bowl and bring your water up to a gentle simmer (I use a medium low heat) until they start to melt.
You are going to slowly add your vodka and stir constantly to mix and incorporate it into your melting candy bars. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO ALLOW ANY OF THE VODKA TO COME IN CONTACT WITH YOUR BURNER OR FLAME! Do not let the vodka mixture boil as this will evaporate your alcohol!
Once all the vodka is added, continue to stir until the mixture is completely blended. Be patient with caramel or nougat as these will melt last. Once blended, set your chocolate liqueur mixture aside to cool.
At this point, if your candy bars contain any nuts or fruits or other solids, strain these out using a large metal strainer and strain directly into your glass distilling container. If no solids need to be strained out, simply cap off tightly and place in the freezer** for up to two weeks.
BOTTLE AND ENJOY:
Now you’re ready to bottle, label and enjoy or share your newly brewed Chocolate Candy Bar Liqueur!
*Refer to the straining methods above.
**Alcohol does not freeze at typical home refrigeration temperatures, so you don’t have to worry, you’ll have a very cold but liquid liqueur to enjoy.
