Dark Espresso Martini

1 oz brewed espresso (espresso roast brewed drip coffee will work, just make it dark)

1 oz espresso infused vodka

1 fresh vanilla bean, seeds scraped and set aside

1/2 oz amaro montenegro

1/2 oz coffee brandy

1/2 oz kahlua

rum sauce drizzle on glass

coffee bean garnish

Maple-Rum Sauce

1½ cups heavy cream

⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup maple syrup

⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons spiced rum

3 teaspoons corn starch

Using the squeeze bottle, drizzle the chilled rum sauce on the inside of a martini glass. Mix espresso, vodka, vanilla bean seeds, amaro, brandy and kahlua over ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into the martini glass. Garnish with espresso beans. You could also dip the rim in the rum sauce and then into crushed espresso beans. Think I’ll do that next time.

Maple-Rum Sauce

Combine the cream, sugar, maple syrup, and ⅓ cup rum in a medium saucepan and bring to a slow boil over low heat. Dissolve the corn starch in the remaining 3 tablespoons of rum. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture, lower the heat, and cook for another 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool for this cocktail.

When cool, store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks. Simply reheat in the microwave on low to warm if you want to serve warm over ice cream or in hot coffee!

From Issue

No. 07 / Winter 2019