5 Leftover Desserts That Make Tasty Cocktails After A Dinner Party
Once, after a sumptuous dinner complete with roast chicken, some fresh pesto, a tossed herb-infused salad and a scrumptious tiramisu, left behind in a medium-sized casserole were 2-3 big slices of the Italian dessert. Wondering what I could possibly do with the tiramisu that was slightly more inventive than serving titbits the next day for dinner, I decided to first crush a tiramisu slice into slightly chunky bits.
Adding these chunks to a coupé glass on a bed of crushed ice, I topped this off with about 30 ml of Baileys Original Irish Cream Liqueur. One taste of this cocktail and I knew it was a winner. The decadent flavours of the tiramisu coupled with the silky quality of Baileys made this drink a luxurious dessert-style blend, at once turning my leftover cake into a delicious cocktail. That’s how I embarked upon an enduring practice of turning leftover desserts into cocktails such that they are utilised to the last bite, even as they are transformed into something more.
Desserts That Become Cocktails
One of the significant reasons why desserts can be turned into cocktails is because of their textural potential. They introduce a slightly chunky, creamy, dense structure into cocktail blends which can become quite appealing when followed by a light dinner.
As well, when one is done with eating their share of the dessert but still wants a slight taste of it, these alternatives come in handy. They cut down on the amount of dessert required to build the drink, so you seldom need a full portion of the sweet, yet there is just enough to infuse a touch of the pudding or the cake or the rasmalai that made up the dessert course at the earlier meal.
Also Read: Why This Creamy Chocolate Desserts Box Is A Collection You Want To Keep
Homespun Dessert Cocktails
Overtime, I have come up with these homespun dessert cocktails that are generally served at my small home bar when they are brought over from the dining table to the mixology station:
— Rasmalai Vodka Cream
Bringing together just two balls of rasmalai and about 15 ml of the ras that is the milk or cream (which is most leftover when rasmalai is dessert), this cocktail can be concocted by blending these ingredients together with ice and about 30 ml of any premium vodka of choice. Garnish the chilled drink with saffron strands for the full dessert-like effect.
— Trifle Pudding Rum Mix
A fruity, tropical blend, this can be concocted using leftover slices of a classic trifle made with fruits, jam, custard and cake. Generally, when tropical fruits like pineapples and berries go into the pudding, a spoonful of the leftovers can be added to a round glass as a garnish. What would lie below it is a mix of about 20 ml of any premium rum of choice and 30 ml of pineapple juice. This mix of pineapple, caramelised rum and a fruity trifle garnish tastes unexpectedly good.
— Cheesecake And Brandy Smash
This is quite a classic and can be had as a dessert or as a cocktail – one’s preferences permitting. Either add a couple of tablespoons of brandy to a slice of cheesecake to serve it as a dessert the next day. Or, whisk the cheesecake and 2 tablespoons of brandy, transfer them into a small round glass and top this off with about 3–4 tablespoons of coconut milk to serve a fusion of tropical ingredients with a cheesecake flourish.
— Chocolate Ganache With Cherry Liqueur
What has proved to be quite an interesting cocktail blend, melted chocolate ganache comes together with 25 ml cherry liqueur in this one for a thoroughly decadent pairing of luxurious ingredients. Sweet and lightly tart notes of the liqueur and the chocolatey gooeyness of the ganache are like another dessert that turns into a cocktail experience when all ingredients are blended together with 30 ml of chilled milk. A macerated cherry garnish finishes off the dessert cocktail, even as it empties out the casserole that contained the leftovers.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
