Cooking Lesson #328: Soda Jerk with a Liquor License Ice Cream Cocktails

…from the Happy Hour Bar

​How you doin’? I love ice cream! Who doesn’t? There used to be an old fashioned soda fountain in a drug store in West Los Angeles when I was growing up. My ambition at 11-years old was to become a soda jerk.
 
When we were getting ready to open the first Customs House Restaurant, I changed the bar plan to incorporate a soda fountain with a liquor license, with all the spigots, scoops and ice cream freezers. Now I must tell you bartenders hate frou-frou drinks of any kind—it’s a lot easier to just pour a scotch on the rocks, but our guests loved them. Our menu even include some X–rated cocktails… the Menage a Trois, a Cherry Buster and a Frozen Slippery Nipple. But I digress…
 
So here we are in 2021 and it's a hot summer day and ice cream sounds oh so good. Why not make it more interesting and turn that cool and creamy treat into a boozy indulgence? That's right, it's time to mix up a tempting ice cream cocktail.
 
Many of these cocktails can be blended with fruit, chocolate, and your favorite liquors and liqueurs. Others are soda floats and even easier to make because no blending is required. All are a creamier alternative to frozen margaritas and daiquiris. Ready for summer fun? Let's dive into a few ice cream cocktail recipes.
 
                                           Frozen Kappa Colada Cocktail
 
When you switch from rum to brandy you turn the popular Piña Colada into a Kappa Colada. It's a wonderful change of pace and a brilliant way to enjoy brandy on hot summer days.
 
The Kappa Colada is one of the few frozen cocktails to use brandy. It works very well against the Piña Colada's pineapple and coconut flavor, adding a darker background to the bright tropical fruits. And it is absolutely brilliant frozen.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  1 cocktail
 
Ingredients 
2 ounces brandy
1 ounce cream of coconut
1ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup ice (generally 3 ice cubes or measure out 1/2 cup of crushed ice)
Maraschino cherry, for garnish
 
Directions

1. In a blender, add the brandy, cream of coconut, lime juice, pineapple, ice cream and ice.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour into a Collins glass.
4. Garnish with a pineapple chunk or maraschino cherry or both.
5. Serve and enjoy.

 
ChefSecrets:  If the mix is too thick for your taste, add an extra splash of lime juice or cream of coconut. If it's too thin, add more ice or ice cream and blend again.
 
The brandy doesn't have to be from your best bottle. A good mid-range brandy that you'd pour into a brandy Alexander will do just fine.
 
Cream of coconut is a sweetened, richer, and thicker version of coconut cream and the preferred ingredient for Piña Coladas.
 
                                          Rum and Coke Ice Cream Float
 
This is without a doubt one of the easiest ice cream cocktails to make.
 
Ingredients 
1-1/2 ounces rum
4 ounces Coca Cola
3 to 4 scoops of vanilla ice cream
 
Directions

1. Pour 1-ounce of Coca Cola into the glass with about 2 tablespoons of vanilla ice cream.
2. Muddle the mix around to blend.
3. Add the rum and stir.
4. Top off with the Coke leaving enough room for the ice cream.
5. Gently add 3-4 scoops of vanilla ice cream allowing the last scoop to rest on the rim of the glass.

ChefSecret:  Muddling the Coke and ice cream together when starting to mix the cocktail prevents the ice cream from over-flowing the glass.
 
                                            Frozen Banana Split Cocktail
 
A banana split is a yummy dessert, but a liquid banana split spiked with chocolate and strawberry vodkas is even better. When you're ready for a tempting, boozy milkshake, look no further than a fun Frozen Banana Split Cocktail.
 
This recipe features two flavored vodkas; it's dominated by chocolate and uses strawberry vodkas as a back note. Add a frozen banana, a splash of pineapple, and a healthy dose of ice cream and you're ready to blend up this liquid treat.
 
It's quite simple. You'll pour the vodkas into your blender, add a whole banana, some pineapple juice, and finish it off with ice cream and milk. Blend it all up and enjoy the creamy taste.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  2 cocktails
 
Ingredients 
1-1/2 ounces chocolate vodka
1 ounce strawberry vodka
1 medium frozen banana, sliced
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
4 ounces (1/2 cup) milk
1/2 ounce pineapple juice
 
Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and a maraschino cherry on the top.
 
Directions

1. In a blender jar, add the chocolate and strawberry vodkas, banana slices, ice cream, milk, and pineapple juice.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour into well-chilled tall glasses; I use an Old Fashioned soda glass.
4. Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate sauce or a maraschino cherry.
5. Serve and enjoy.

 
ChefSecret:  Want a thicker drink? Add another scoop of ice cream while it is still in the blender. For a thinner drink, add a splash of milk. Blend it up and continue making small adjustments until it has reached the right consistency just for you. When making frozen cocktails with bananas, it's best if you peel and freeze the banana before adding it to the blender. This creates a slightly creamier drink than you would get from the banana sitting on your kitchen counter.
 
                                              S’mores Boozy Milkshake

It's time to indulge in your campfire dreams and there's no need for a fire or to even be outside. This boozy S'mores Milkshake recipe can be enjoyed anywhere and is filled with all the delicious flavors found in those gooey s'mores.
 
To begin, choose your favorite marshmallow vodka and chocolate liqueur. The Drambuie adds a honey flavor that imitates graham crackers, and RumChata puts the "milk" in the milkshake. Add a little ice cream, blend it up, then dress it with toasted marshmallows, chocolate and broken graham crackers. It's a wonderful mix that is anything but boring and is definitely for adults only.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  1 cocktail
 
ChefSecret:  Okay, light a little fire and invite a few friends over and get roasting, toasting and blending.
 
Ingredients 
1/4 cup finely crushed graham crackers, for glass rim
Chocolate syrup, for optional garnish
1-1/2 ounces marshmallow vodka
1 ounce chocolate liqueur
1 ounce Drambuie liqueur
1/2 ounce RumChata liqueur
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 toasted marshmallow, for garnish
Chocolate shavings, for garnish
 
Directions

1. Dip the rim of your glass in a shallow dish with one of the liqueurs then roll it in finely crushed graham crackers.
2. Drizzle the chocolate syrup on the inside the glass to decorate and place it in the freezer while you prepare the cocktail.
3. In a blender combine the vodka, chocolate liqueur, Drambuie, RumChata and ice cream.
4. Blend until smooth.
5. Pour the blended shake into the prepared frozen glass.
6. Garnish with a toasted marshmallow and chocolate shavings.
7. Serve and enjoy.

ChefSecret:  To create a thicker shake, add more ice cream. If it's too thick, add more RumChata.
 
                                                    Death by Chocolate

This cocktail's name "Death by Chocolate" should clue you as to what's going on inside. Not one, but three chocolate ingredients get whipped up and if you want to add even more, grab a bottle of chocolate vodka.
 
Chocolate ice cream, syrup, and liqueurs pile into the blender for this recipe. Add a shot of vodka (your choice of flavor) and some coffee liqueur for contrast, then blend away. Deck it out with tempting toppings and sit back and taste the magic. This cocktail is guaranteed to kill your sweet tooth craving!
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  1 to 2 cocktails
 
Ingredients 
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce coffee liqueur
1 ounce dark crème de cacao liqueur
2 scoops chocolate ice cream
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 cup crushed ice
Garnish with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry
 
Directions

1. In a blender, pour the vodka and coffee and chocolate liqueurs, then add the ice cream, chocolate syrup and crushed ice.
2. Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour into one or two stemmed glasses (e.g., hurricane glass).
4. Top with whipped cream and a cherry.
5. Serve and enjoy.

 
ChefSecret:  While the recipe recommends dark crème de cacao, the white version of the liqueur will work just fine. It will not affect the color or taste of the drink.

Quip of the Day: “I watch the news every evening and I’m exhausted with how stupid everyone’s getting.”
 
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                                                    ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

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