Bump 'n' Grind - London Cocktail Club
The Bump ‘n’ Grind at London Cocktail Club is every sweet tooth’s dream. The mixologists here use Tia Maria and Stoli Salted Karamel Vodka (30ml of each) to create the base, homemade coffee mix, a dash (read: however much you fancy) of maple syrup and ice cubes to finish. The drink is then shaken vigorously, albeit briefly, slowly strained into a glass to separate the liquid from the ice and served with a chocolate biscuit of your choice - a sure-fire way to get you bumping and grinding
The Acrobat - Old Street Records
Roll up your sleeves and throw 60ml of Patron Café XO into a blender with 30ml of pistachio syrup (you can either make this from scratch or order it online) and crack a whole egg into the mixture. Blend the ingredients until the creamy texture of the egg fuses everything together. Once the drink has set, add ice and blend for a further 30 seconds. If the drink's not refreshing enough, chill the glass before serving and sprinkle crushed nuts on top to garnish. Pop in a shot (or two) of espresso and sip until your heart's content.
When it comes to making ice-cream cocktails, Be At One are at the top of the game and their Brazilian Monk serves as proof. Mix 30ml of hazelnut liquer (Be At One recommend Frangelico), Kahlua and dark creme de cacao (you can make this yourself if you're feeling experimental) in a blender with a few scoops of vanilla ice cream - it's that simple. Keep it churning until the drink is the right combination of thick, creamy and smooth.
The Barrio bar chain is a firm favourite thanks to its reasonably-priced cocktails which don't compromise taste and the Voodoo Mama is no exception. To re-create this crowd-pleaser of a cocktail you’ll need a single shot of dark rum (Barrio recommend Plantation Overproof), a dash of coffee and coconut liqueur. Add this to lemon and lime juice, with a larger dash of pineapple and shake well with ice. Once the drink is thoroughly mixed, pour into a glass filled with crushed ice.
A heads up: this isn't a cocktail designed for the lazy girl as homemade white-chocolate vodka is the main ingredient but if you feel like unleashing your inner Heisenberg, read on. Once you’ve infused the chocolate and cooled the vodka down to a sub-zero temperature, chill a martini glass. Add ice to a shaker with a generous double measure of coffee rum (Kahlua), a healthy helping of sweet amaretto and your own pre-made moonshine. Give it a good shake and replace the ice in the martini glass with your mix. Dollop a spoon of organic cream on top and voila!
Ginger and Joe Martini - All Star Lanes
While the original Espresso Martini is a foolproof option for anyone with little to no mixology experience, this Ginger and Joe variation will satisfy anyone after a tasty challenge. Chill a glass and throw an espresso shot into a shaker or blender with a single measure of coffee and ginger liqueur and a smaller measure of vanilla syrup. Give the mixture a good shake and pour it into your cocktail glass. For added class, the mixologists at All Star Lanes add a dash of Bitter Truth Chocolate Bitters and garnish with coffee beans. A 70-30% mix of cream and milk tops the tipple, leaving a cool pattern that'll impress even the ponciest of guests.
Absurd Bird may be the capital's number one chicken connoisseurs but they're merry-making beverages are worth talking about, too. The Fix Up is another delicious Espresso Martini variant with slightly altered ingredients meaning the process shouldn’t be too difficult to grasp. Take equal 40ml measures of vodka and espresso, 15ml of Mozart Chocolate Liqueur and 20ml or so of simple syrup (two parts sugar, one part water). Add ice and throw it all in a blender or shaker, mixing until the liquid is smooth and frothy.
Dazed and Coff-Used The Jones Family Project
This family-run restaurant-cum-bar meticulously select their produce, so if you’re after a bespoke drink you ought to get yourself down to their east London outpost stat. But if you think you can take on their Dazed and Coff-Used beast at home, read on. You'll need 25ml of a good-quality tequila, an equal measure of sweet vermouth and Campari, pre-mixed with coffee. It's simply a case of mixing the spirits together and pouring over ice in a lowball glass before finishing with a fresh slice of orange peel.
Will you be attempting any of these caffeine-fuelled concoctions? Let us know @soFeminineUK
For more tasty cocktails and other great events in London visit DesignMyNight or find them on Twitter and Instagram @designmynight
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