Chocolate Envy

With Halloween now over, all thoughts naturally turn to the next big festive season: Christmas. The shops are now full of gift ideas and traditional foods, including boxes of chocolates that are reduced to encourage shoppers to purchase more than they usually would.
The problem with chocolate is that it is so moreish, which is why we tend to buy so much of these tasty treats. Not surprisingly, it also makes a delicious ingredient in cocktails. When combined with a spirit or two, it becomes a gloriously decadent experience, so we have suggested a few drinks for you to try:

Chocolate Dream

As the name suggests, this recipe is filled with rather a lot of chocolate. Chocolate syrup and chocolate ice cream make for a rich and creamy drink, perfectly combined with Baileys and vodka. Chocolate sprinkles are the only possible garnish for this drink, that tastes like an alcoholic milkshake.

Chocolate Orange Cocktail

Orange chocolates are passed around at this time of year as the perfect token gift, and while the name of this drink might not be very inspired, the taste is divine. The chocolate taste is courtesy of the Crème de Cacao, which blends beautifully with orange syrup, orange juice and vodka for a drink you will be consuming again and again!

Chocolate Blush

This rich, inviting cocktail tastes like a dessert in a glass (indeed it was created to be enjoyed as an after-dinner sweet). A simple cocktail made with equal parts vodka, Tia Maria and chocolate liqueur, this is a drink you won’t mind whipping up on a full stomach.

Chocolate Banana Martini

This is another simple drink that is ideal for those with a sweet tooth. Made with vodka, banana liqueur and Crème de Cacao White, you might not realise quite how potent this drink is until you have enjoyed a few!

Espadin Dreams

A new cocktail created by Emily DeKanter at a new bar in Chicago, this is set to be a show-stopper beverage. Created with Benhez Mezcal, cranberry liqueur, chocolate bitters and agave nectar, the drink is garnished with orange peel and chocolate shavings and has a luxurious, bittersweet taste that will make you feel as though you are in heaven. Although we have the recipe on our site for you to try for yourself, this is definitely one worth travelling to Chicago for, in order to taste the original drink!

November is a bit of an in-between month when it comes to festivities, and for many, it can be rather dull and drab as the nights draw in and the weather gets cooler. Hopefully these chocolatey delights will help to brighten your days and tickle your tastebuds, so that those bargain boxes of chocolates make it through to Christmas!