Chocolate Espresso Martini

Nothing says indulgence like chocolate and that goes for drinks, as well as for desserts. I love a big mug of hot chocolate topped with whippped cream or marshmallows on a cold night, but a chocolate cocktail can sometimes be an even better option for a festive (and grown-up) occasions. This Chocolate Espresso Martini is a delicious dessert cocktail, made with chocolate liqueur and espresso, that is perfect for any after dinner occasion.

The cocktail is pretty straightforward to make, even if you’re not a mixologist, but you will need a few special ingredients. It’s a unique drink and if you’re a chocolate-lover, it is worth heading out to the store to pick them up. You will need chocolate liqueur (Godiva makes an excellent one), vodka and cream de cacao. Creme de cacao is a chocolate liqueur that is less sweet than regular chocolate liqueur, but adds an important dose of extra chocolate flavor to the cocktail. I also add a small splash of Frangelico, a hazelnut liqueur that adds a slight nuttiness to the drink and ties the chocolate elements together.

The next ingredient is an ounce of espresso. I have a Nespresso machine, so making a small quantity of espresso is pretty straightforward. If you don’t have espresso at home, you can simply pick up a few shots at your local coffee house and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it, since the espresso can be chilled. Alternatively, you can use double-strength coffee as a substitute for espresso and still get good results.

I really like the combination of chocolate and espresso in this cocktail. The chocolate and coffee elements are balanced so that the cocktail has a great chocolate flavor, without being overly sweet. If you were to leave out the espresso, you could combine the first four ingredients alone for a tasty chocolate martini, too. This recipe makes one drink and can be doubled to serve two.

As a finishing touch, I dipped the rim of the glass in chocolate sauce, then in sugar, so each sip will have a touch of extra sweetness and the drinks will look especially tempting. I recommend martini glasses, but the drinks will taste wonderful no matter what glasses you use.

Chocolate Espresso Martini
1 3/4 oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
3/4 oz vodka
1/2 oz white creme de cacao
1/4 oz Frangelico
3-4 drops vanilla extract
1 oz espresso or strong coffee
Chocolate sauce, for garnish
Sugar, for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, combine chocolate liqueur, vodka, creme de cacao, Frangelico, vanilla extract and espresso. Fill with ice and shake until chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain into a martini glass and serve.

To rim glass: Pour a small amount of chocolate sauce on a saucer. Place a small amount of sugar on a second saucer. Dip rim of the glass in chocolate sauce, then coat with sugar. Allow to set for a minute before filling glass.