Make Your Own Chocolate Liqueur

To celebrate Chocolate Friday and the end of the month, make your own chocolate liqueur!  And when your friends ask where you were all weekend, you can tell them you got lost in the land of chocolate!

Of course you can buy this stuff.  Godiva offers four variations:  chocolate cream,  dark chocolate, white chocolate and (ohmigod) chocolate cappuccino.  But if you have an adventurous do-it-your-own-self spirit, you might want to try one of these recipes for great at-home chocolate liqueur:

Chocolate Liqueur
From Busy Cooks at About.com

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp. chocolate extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup vodka

Combine sugar and water in medium heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool thoroughly. Stir in chocolate extract, vanilla and vodka.  Pour into a clean glass bottle with tight fitting lid and store in a cool, dry place. This can be used as a substitute for Creme De Cacao. Makes 1 pint

NOTE: This recipe calls for chocolate extract, which you can buy online here if your local store doesn't carry it

This next recipe takes longer to produce something drinkable, but it might be worth it. Worth a try, at least, to be able to compare the two.

Chocolate Liqueur
from The Recipe Link

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups vodka
1 vanilla bean, split

Mix sugar, water, and cocoa in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, just until sugar and cocoa are completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Pour into a clean 2-quart glass container. Stir in vodka and vanilla bean. Cover tightly; keep in a cool, dark place for 14 days, shaking container thoroughly every 2 days.

Strain liqueur through a moist paper coffee filter into a clean glass container. Straining will take a couple of hours as residue is very thick. Change filter halfway through. If residue remains, strain again immediately.

Cover tightly; let liqueur age in cool, dark place at least 1 month.

If you don't really want the alcohol, but want the chocolatey flavor, you can substitute chocolate syrup.  And if you want to keep in the "make it yourself" theme, you can find recipes for homemade chocolate syrup here and here.

Not sure what to do with chocolate liqueur?  Here are some recipes to try:

• Godiva Chocolates Drink Recipes
• Drinks Mixer's Chocolate Liqueur Drinks
• Chocolate Honeybee - from Webtender
• Mudslide #5 - from Webtender
• Tatooed Love Goddess - from Webtender

That ought to set you up right for the weekend.

Enjoy!

Comments

[lynn jeppson]

chocolate brandy

[keewee]

OK you have my attention, I am going to check what is in the liquor cabinet in the way of flavored vodka to whip up a concoction or two!

[Christine]

Oooo, Kat, that sounds delish. Or what about using Orange Vodka for something unique. Yumm, that sounds really good right now too. And maybe a splash of orange extract just to give it a little more oomph.

[Kat]

What would vanilla vodka do to the mix? It's my favorite right now and adds a yummy flavor to white Russians or mudslides.