Play Hard

4 Christmas cocktails to get you into the festive spirit

Homemade Irish Cream? Step this way...

Written by High Life North

Published 22.12.2020

THE TIFFANY TWIST

Having breakfast at Tiffany’s has never been easier. Kinda.

Ingredients:

2 ounces Champagne

1 ounce gin

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

Splash of honey or simple syrup

Splash of lychee juice (optional)

A drop of blue curaçao

Method:

Place a drop of blue curaçao on the bottom of your cocktail glass for a touch of Tiffany Blue. If you don’t have blue curaçao at home, consider using a drop of blue food colouring or a few blueberries.
In a cocktail shaker, combine gin, fresh lemon juice and a splash of honey or simple syrup. Add optional lychee juice, if desired.
Fill shaker with ice, cover and shake for about 20 seconds until the outside of shaker is very cold.
Strain cocktail through a strainer or a slotted spoon into your glass.
Top with Champagne and enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

HOMEMADE IRISH CREAM

We see your Baileys. And we raise you.

Ingredients:

300g dulce de leche (we used Merchant Gourmet)

1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water

1 tsp vanilla extract

300ml Irish whisky

14.5 fl oz of single cream (usually one big and one small pot is perfect)

Method:

Spoon the dulce de leche into a bowl, then beat in the coffee, vanilla and whisky until smooth. Stir in the cream until well mixed.
Pour into 1 large (or several smaller) sterilised bottle(s). This will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks. Drink in liqueur glasses or serve over ice.

Recipe courtesy of Sara Buenfeld

GINGERBREAD PEOPLE JELLY SHOTS

You know when you want a Christmas biscuit, but you always want booze? These are for those times.

Ingredients:

310ml cream

375ml vodka

2–3 tbsp gingerbread syrup

2–3 tbsp creme de cacao or Kahlua

Dash of pumpkin spice syrup

3 packets of unflavoured gelatine

Method:

Heat the vodka in a pan over medium heat and stir in the gelatine packets, whisking together until dissolved.
Pour into a bowl and stir in your cream, gingerbread syrup and pumpkin spice syrup.
Pour the mixture into a greased pan and let it set in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Once it has set, use your gingerbread cookie cutter to cut out as many as you can fit in your pan, and then use a spatula to pull out the extra jelly from in between the gingerbread shapes. Once the shapes are free, you can scoop those out as well.
Since jelly shots don’t do well when they sit out for a long time, keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them. And if, for you, the good times just keep on coming, put them out with some icing and sprinkles nearby so guests can decorate them before eating (or is it drinking?!).

Recipe courtesy of Laura Gummerman

BOOZY GRINCH PUNCH

For any hosts looking to steal Christmas with minimal effort this year.

Ingredients:

1 packet Kool-Aid Lemon-Lime mix (Amazon)

1 litre water

Ice

750ml lemon and lime soda (either mixed or separate)

450ml pineapple juice

450ml vodka

250ml ginger ale

Lime wedges, for the rim

Red sanding sugar, for the rim

Method:

In a large pitcher, mix the Kool-Aid and water.
In a large punch bowl, combine ice, Kool-Aid mix, soda, pineapple juice, vodka, and ginger ale.
Use a lime wedge to rim glasses and dip in sanding sugar to coat. Pour punch into glasses to serve. Easy!

Recipe courtesy of Makinze Gore