Creme de Cacao

DIY liqueurs have been an interest of mine for some time now. The lack of availability for quality brands of flavored cordials and liqueurs in Virginia led me to a great deal of experimentation, beginning with seasonal fruits, and eventually leading into better versions of readily available products like my Coffee Liqueur.

Creme de Cacao has been an elusive flavor to manage. I wanted to ensure the flavor of cocoa, of course, but also wanted the rich mouthfeel of milk chocolate. To do this, I first created a cacao infusion, milk-washed it to remove the astringency of the cacao and add some body, then finally sweetened it with Demerara syrup to add richness. A little bit of vanilla tincture is optional, but really makes the product pop.

I ended up settling, as I usually do, on a base of 100 proof Neutral Grain Spirit, and figured out a multi-step process that yields a delicious, shelf-stable product better than any commercially available product I’ve had. Because of the use of quality cocoa nibs (trust me, you need the good stuff), the costs are a little higher than other homemade liqueurs I’ve done, but a little bit goes a long way.

MCC Creme de Cacao

You’ll need:

• 750ml 100 proof Neutral Grain Spirit (I used Belle Isle Moonshine out of Richmond)

• 200g Valrhona cocoa nibs

• Whole Milk

• 2:1 Demerara Syrup

• Vanilla tincture or extract (optional)

Equipment:

• Oven

• Immersion Circulator

• Centrifuge (High Tech) or Coffee Filters (Low Tech)

Procedure:

Spread the cocoa nibs onto a baking sheet, and roast at 300F for 10 minutes. While still warm, add the cocoa nibs to your spirit in a heat-resistant container. I prefer to combine the ingredients in a sous-vide bag, remove the air, fold the top over and seal with binder clips.

Place the bag into an immersion bath at 57C or 134F, and infuse for 2 hours. At this point, you should have an astringent infusion with the a distinct flavor of bitter cacao. Strain off the infused booze, and discard the cocoa nibs.

Measure 25% of the volume of the infusion of whole milk. Add the infused spirit to the milk - the mixture should break automatically and visibly. Leave to sit for 15 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. At this point, the curdling of the milk should be apparent. If you have a centrifuge, spin the mixture for 30 minutes. If not, strain through the finest filter you’ve got - doubled up coffee filters work well, as does a clean restaurant linen. Either way, I prefer to soak my filter medium with a small amount of vodka or NGS first to minimize absorption of your infused liquid.

After your straining step is complete, the product should taste like a boozy dark chocolate, and have lost its astringency. To finish, measure 20% total volume of 2:1 Demerara syrup, and combine. At this point I also recommend adding a small amount of vanilla tincture, and you’re good to go!

The Dark Creme de Cacao is great with a little blended Scotch in the Enzo the Baker cocktail, and a fun add to many spirit-forward cocktails. Give it a try, and let us know in the comments how it works out!