Cooking Lesson #968: Pink Peppermint Cocktail

…from the Perspectives’ Holiday Happy Hour Bar

How you doin’? While googling fun facts about candy canes and cocktails, I found out that the first candy cane was made over 350 years ago and, for the first 200 years, they were solid white. Can you imagine a candy cane without stripes? Crazy right???
 
I also discovered that National Candy Cane Day is celebrated on December 26th. That means we should drink my Pink Peppermint Cocktail
to celebrate!
 
Suggestion… take all of your broken candy canes and the ones you stuffed in the stockings or hung the tree, and do something useful with them.
 
Pink peppermint sounds like a pepperminty marshmallow dream or something. And that’s exactly what this cocktail is!
 
Okay, let me break it down for you. You’re going to need candy cane vodka (see the ChefSecret below), homemade vanilla simple syrup, creme de cacao, a very tiny drop of cream and don’t forget a mini candy cane for garnish. They all come together to create the perfect iced holiday drink that tastes like a treat!! Yes indeed, this is what I call Pink Peppermint Cocktail success. My Pink Peppermint Cocktail is full of holiday cheer!

Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield:  1 Cocktail
 
Ingredients 
2 ounces candy cane vodka
2 ounce creme de cacao (white)
1 ounce vanilla simple syrup
1/2 ounce cream (or half and half)
1 mini candy cane for garnish
sparkling sugar for the glass
 
Directions

1. Prepare the candy cane vodka 30 minutes before.
2. Rim a glass with a drop of water and dip it in either sparkling sugar or crushed candy canes.
3. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the vodka, creme de cacao, syrup and half and half. Shake well for at least 30 seconds. Pour in the glass and garnish with a candy cane!

ChefSecrets:  
How do you make peppermint vodka? It’s simple… and just two ingredients.
To make peppermint vodka, simply add 2 cups of vodka to a large jar and add 4-5 candy canes. You can use any flavor candy cane (or any size). Let the candy canes soak in the vodka until they dissolve, which won’t take very long (a few hours).
Once you have a jar of peppermint flavored vodka you can easily add it to cocktail recipes all season long. It’s also nice for Valentine’s Day.
How do make vanilla simple syrup?  Sugar, purified water, and vanilla extract

Ingredients
4 cups sugar (raw or brown)
3 cups filtered water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
 
Directions
Place a large saucepan on your stovetop. Add sugar, water and extract to the saucepan. Turn on heat (medium setting) and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves. Wait until lukewarm to transfer the syrup into a bottle or jar.

Quip of the Day:  Q. What does a candy cane say when it’s always stressed? A. I cane-t stand it!
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#HappyHour #PinkPeppermintCocktail #CandyCanes #Peppermint #Vodka #CremeDeCacao #Cheers #HolidayRecipes #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  #FeedingAmerica 
 
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