Dry January? We’re celebrating indulgent January instead – and these dessert cocktails are just the thing to toast the occasion.
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Happy indulgent January! Instead of following the prevailing trend and giving up cocktails this month, we’re turning the tables and transforming January into a celebration of treats, pleasure, and everything good. After all, it’s dark, cold, and the holiday season has to come to an end. Who wants to compound the misery by giving up gin, too?
In our first indulgent January instalment, we’ve collected four dessert cocktails that are the perfect end to a feast. Whether savoured as digestifs or served in place of pud at a dinner party, they’re sure to be a real treat.
Gin Alexander
Adapted from Difford’s Guide
Brandy may be most commonly associated with the Alexander, but the classic cocktail can be made with any number of spirits – gin included. Rich, creamy, and enticingly spiced thanks to the nutmeg garnish, it’s one of our best-loved dessert cocktails.
30ml white crème de cacao
15ml single cream
In a cocktail shaker, combine all three ingredients and shake. Add very cold ice and shake again. Strain into a chilled coupette glass and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
Giña Colada Ice Lollies
Before you ask: yes, you can whip up a homemade batch of ice lollies no matter the season. In this case, it helps that they’re indulgently spiked. We’ve taken the classic Piña Colada combination of coconut and pineapple, but have swapped the rum for gin. Freeze and enjoy.
120ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
120ml coconut milk
525g pineapple chunks
Blend all three ingredients together and freeze in ice lolly moulds until set.
Gin Float
This dessert cocktail is simple: it’s a classic G&T…but with a scoop of vanilla ice cream thrown in. Who could resist?
50ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
Tonic water
Drop vanilla essence
Generous scoop vanilla ice cream
Add a decent amount of ice to a chilled highball or copa glass (though not so much that the ice cream won’t fit). Pour in the gin and vanilla essence and add tonic water to taste; give one quick stir if necessary. Top with an unapologetically large scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Grapefruit Gin Granita
If you’re the type who loves to end dinner with a sorbet (and a tipple), then this is the dessert for you. Bright, citrusy, and, most importantly, redolent of gin, it’s a wonderfully refreshing serve.
200ml freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice, strained
30g sugar
Pinch of salt
25ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
5 dashes Angostura bitters
First, make a simple syrup by heating 25ml of grapefruit juice and the sugar, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Combine the cooled syrup with the rest of the juice and add the salt, gin, and Angostura bitters. Transfer to a shallow pan with about 2-inch sides and freeze.
To form the granita, freeze the mixture for an hour and then scrape and stir with a fork, from the edges into the center, every 30 minutes for approximately 3 hours until frozen crystals have formed.
Feature image © Wavebreakmedia/iStock
