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      Chocolate Lark Cocktail (Low-Proof)

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      A chocolatey riff on the classic Adonis cocktail, this drink is made with crème de cacao, sherry, and vermouth. This low-proof cocktail feels so special you won’t know what you’re missing. It’s equally perfect for a holiday cocktail party or Friday movie night!

      Photography Credit: Sam Schick

      The Chocolate Lark accomplishes the near-impossible: surprising complexity and body for a low-alcohol cocktail, enshrouded in a deliciousness that stops shy of being a dessert. This cocktail is one any host should have up their sleeve.
      In fact, as a lower-proof cocktail, its character is entirely built on the interplay of its compelling ingredients—specifically, sherry, vermouth, and creme de cacao.

      THE LIQUORS FOR THIS COCKTAIL
      Shy with alcohols, gregarious with flavor: The Chocolate Lark sees a sherry complemented by a deep, rich vermouth, and a dark crème de cacao. Each is a character in its own right, but together, they practically sing.
      Amontillado sherry is an aromatic, intriguingly dry fortified wine. Aged in oak barrels and beneath a layer of flor (yeast), this sherry’s concentrated aroma and dynamic flavor are rich in the nose, but light on its feet. Amontillado is the rosé of the sherry world: darker, less dry than fino sherry, but lighter than oloroso. Lustau Los Arcos Amontillado Sherry is your best fit, but this recipe also works well with light, dry sherries, such as manzanilla or fino.
      Carpano Antica Formula (a vermouth) has a strong body, dark complexity, and self-assurance that has made it a standard in bars the world over. Its strong vanilla notes are joined by cacao nib, orange peel, and dried cherry. If you want something more than a basic sweet vermouth but cannot find Carpano, try Coccchi Vermouth di Torino, Cinzano Rossocchi Vermouth di Torino, or Cinzano Rosso.
      A dark crème de cacao provides the chocolate wheels on which this cocktail rolls. Too often misused and abused, crème de cacao is best when used with some restraint (no more than 3/4 ounce). This will add just enough richness, sweetness, and depth. Tempus Fugit Crême de Cacao à la Vanille, a recipe recreation from the liqueur’s heyday, is a great choice, as is Marie Brizard Brown Cacao Liqueur.

      OTHER INGREDIENTS FOR THIS CHOCOLATE COCKTAIL
      Chocolate Bitters are going to amplify not only the chocolate of the crème de cacao, but also the deep body of the vermouth. You can make your own, go with Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters, or be really interesting and try Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters.
      Fresh lime juice pairs wonderfully with the chocolate while brightening the cocktail. Reserve a single wedge of lime to coat the rim of the coupe glass if you are going to garnish the cocktail.
      Black sugar is a useful, if not necessary, garnish. (I’ll confess that I often skip the sugar.) It’s an unrefined brown sugar (the molasses content of which makes it black) and lends the rim of your glass a sweet, gravelly ring. Your best bet to find it will be local specialty shops or Amazon.
      A LOW ABV COCKTAIL THAT STILL FEELS SPECIAL
      We get some specialness out of this drink precisely because its chocolate is not allowed to overwhelm; it’s like an ingenue doing a surprise turn as a character actor: definitely noticed in every frame, but holding enough back as to draw your attention, rather than force it.
      We get balance (not easy to come by without a stronger base spirit and the risk of oversweetening the concoction) from the surprise combination of sherry and lime juice, as they together bring a welcome acidity and brightness alongside the rich seasoning of the vermouth and sweetness of the crème de cacao.

      THE HISTORY OF THE COCKTAIL
      This cocktail is a riff on The Adonis cocktail, a sherry, vermouth, and bitters number that dates back to the late 1880s, and is named for the first Broadway musical. (The Adonis was itself a riff on the Bamboo, which went with a dry, “French” vermouth.) So why are we calling this a “lark”? For that, you can thank Shakespeare, whose poem “Venus and Adonis” refers to a “gentle lark,” which is perhaps the best description of this cocktail.
      Now, cocktails and sherry go back a long way—once upon a time, sherry was as common a base ingredient as gin or whiskey. And for good reason: the fortified wine provides both body and acidity, levity, and complexity while leaving room for a broad range of other flavors to play their parts.
      ANY VARIATIONS OR WAYS TO SWITCH IT UP?
      Port of Adonis: Add 1 ounce of Tawny Port, and reduce the vermouth to 3/4 ounce, to introduce a dark stewed fruit flavor against the briny minerality of a drier sherry.
      Stronger Adonis: You would be sacrificing the drink’s coveted status of low-ABV, but substituting cognac for the sherry, and a tawny port in place of the Carpano will go down very well indeed.
      Chocolate Coronation: Substitute Maraschino for the simple syrup, and Marie Brizard’s Cacao Blanc for the dark creme, and you’ll have a chocolatey riff on the Coronation, an aromatic, delicately fruity cocktail from Harry Craddock’s 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book.
      MORE LOW-PROOF OR NONALCOHOLIC DRINKS

      Chocolate Lark Cocktail (Low-Proof) Recipe

      Ingredients
      1 ounce Amontillado sherry
      1 ounce Carpano Antica
      3/4 ounce crème de cacao
      1/4 ounce fresh lime juice
      1/4 ounce simple syrup
      2 dashes chocolate bitters
      Black sugar (garnish)

      Method

      1 Garnish the glass: Just before serving, use a lime wedge to wet the outer rim of a chilled coupe glass. Turning the glass on its side, dip the outer rim into a small bowl filled with black sugar, and coat the outer top of the glass.
      2 Make the cocktail: In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the sherry, Carpano Antica (or vermouth), crème de cacao, lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake until cold to the touch, and strain into a chilled coupe glass.

      Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you!

      This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

      Sam Schick
      Sam Schick is a designer and drinks historian living in Seattle, WA with his joy Megan Gordon (our Marketing Director!) and their two small kids. There he helms the design firm Neversink, savors every quiet last sip of an Islay Scotch, and tirelessly works on new chartreuse recipes.
      More from Sam LEGGI TUTTO

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      Poached Pear Vol au Vents

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      This elegant, seasonal dessert will be the perfect ending to your Thanksgiving Day feast. Flaky puff pastry cases hold pockets of white wine-caramel pastry cream, and a fork tender poached pear rests on top of each puff. 

      I’m always an advocate for individual desserts, mostly because I enjoy having a mini cake or pie all to myself. Something about it feels special, like a bit more thought and effort went into composing the end result on my plate. These pear puffs may look like they took a lot of effort, but they didn’t!

      Believe it or not, this recipe came to me in a dream. This happens occasionally. I will bake all night in my sleep and wake up (tired) with a new recipe that I need to get out of my brain and into real life. This one has three parts, but each is a simple fix. All the components can be made ahead and assembled  before serving. 

      If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, then you may know how much I love poaching pears, not to mention wrapping them in puff pastry (see this recipe from waaaay back!).  I mean, what’s better than warming yourself by a simmering pot of spices on a chilly autumn day? I’ll tell you what – having a delicious dessert at the end!

      One thing I’ve learned is that most any kind of wine added to the poaching liquid will greatly change the character of the fruit. It’s not really boozy because most of the alcohol is simmered out as the pears poach; but it’s the subtleties of the wine that shine through after the fruit is rested and cooled. You can use just about any white wine, but a simple, inexpensive bottle of Italian white wine that tips to the sweet side (spumante) is more than adequate.

      Puff pastry shells are so easy to make using ready-made frozen pastry and cookie cutters. A few brands make the shells already cut out and ready to bake – but for this project those are too small. Making these larger cases is easy, and if you don’t have the right size cookie cutters, you could use a small bowl’s rim and a paring knife to trim around it, and a juice bottle lid (or similar item) to cut the centers.

      After the shells are baked and the middles removed, they are filled with delicious white wine-caramel pastry cream. I altered the recipe from these champagne cupcakes I made ages ago. This recipe has always served me well (it’s almost committed to memory!) and this time I added dulce de leche just before I finished it with a little butter. Heaven!

      Serve them with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top and a single mint leaf at each pear stem.

      Overall, the three components balance each other so well. There’s the lovely unsweet flaky pastry, the creamy sweet filling, and just a touch of tartness from the pear. Serve with a dessert fork and a fruit knife for easy dining. 

      Each element can be made ahead. Bake the pastry cases and keep them in an airtight container. Make the pastry cream and store in the refrigerator, and poach the pears, which can be kept in their liquid in the refrigerator for up to four days!
      Poached Pear Vol au Vents
      [CLICK TO PRINT]
      Yields 6 servingsWhite wine-caramel pastry cream
      2 tablespoons cornstarch1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream, divided
      1/2 cup (120 ml) sparkling white wine (recommend spumante)
      5 tablespoons (65g) granulated sugar
      1 whole egg
      2 egg yolks
      1/4 cup (3 oz.) dulce de leche
      2 tablespoons unsalted butterWhisk cornstarch in 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a medium bowl. Combine the remaining heavy cream, sugar, and 1/2 cup champagne in a saucepan; bring to a boil then remove from heat.Beat the whole egg and egg yolks into the cornstarch/heavy cream mixture. Pour 1/3 of boiling champagne mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so the eggs do not cook. Return the remaining champagne/heavy cream mixture to a boil. Pour in the hot egg mixture in a stream, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens considerably. Remove from heat and add the dulce de leche; stir until melted and smooth. Add the butter and stir until completely melted. Let cool and cover with plastic wrap so that the plastic touches the surface of the pastry cream. This will prevent a skin developing on top.Poached Pears
      6 small firm but ripe pears
      2 tablespoons lemon juice
      1 cup (200g) sugar
      1 bottle (750 ml) white wine (or remaining spumante from pastry cream)
      2 cups (480 ml) water
      2 cinnamon sticks
      Zest of 1 lemonPeel the pears using a small paring knife, keeping the stems intact. Brush the pears with lemon juice so they don’t brown.In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, wine, water, cinnamon sticks, and lemon zest. Place over medium high heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved; increase heat and bring to a boil.Add the pears to the liquid and simmer until fork-tender, usually about 20 minutes, but more time will be required for very firm pears. Remove pears to a wire rack or a plate to cool.Puff pastry cases
      3 sheets (1 1/2 boxes) puff pastry, thawed
      1 egg
      1 tablespoon waterOn a work surface, lightly roll a puff pastry sheet with a rolling pin until the creases in the dough are flattened. Cut five 3.5-inch circles out of the dough using a cookie cutter. Repeat the process with a second puff pastry sheet. From the last sheet of puff pastry, cut two circles. You should now have twelve 3.5-inch puff pastry circles.Transfer six circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter (or bottle cap) cut a circle into the centers of the remaining 6 puff pastry circles, but do not remove the cut out centers.Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl. Brush the pastry circles on the parchment-lined baking sheet with the egg wash and top each with the circles with the cut centers. Chill in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.Preheat the oven to 400°F.Bake the pastries for 10-12 minutes, or until they are golden and well-puffed. Please note that some of the pastry cases may puff out of shape accordion-style. If this happens, set them upright and lightly press the case back into shape while the pastry is still hot. Gently dig out/lift out their round centers using a fork (you can serve this piece of pastry on the side, or just eat it!). Let cool completely before filling.
      Assembly
      6 mint leaves
      1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamonJust before serving, place the puff pastry shells on a serving tray. Fill each pastry with the pastry cream to the top; rest a single poached pear on top of each pastry over the cream. Using a small paring knife, make a slit to one side of the top stem and insert a mint leaf in the opening. Sprinkle a pinch of ground cinnamon over each pear and serve immediately.
      Make ahead: The puff pastry cases can be made a day ahead and kept in an air-tight container. The pastry cream can be made 2-3 days ahead, and stored in the refrigerator. The pears can be poached and cooled, then transferred to the refrigerator and stored in their syrup for up to 4 days. Bring pastry cream and pears to room temperature before assembling. Assemble just before serving.
      link Poached Pear Vol au Vents By Heather Baird Published: Wednesday, October 28, 2020Wednesday, October 28, 2020Poached Pear Vol au Vents Recipe LEGGI TUTTO

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      Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

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      The BEST homemade chicken noodle soup! This version is made from scratch, so it’s light and nourishing. All the goodness from the chicken in one pot of soup. Just what you need to recover from a cold or the flu. Continue reading “Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup” » LEGGI TUTTO

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      Six Spooky Cocktails for a Spirited Halloween!

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      Bring the boo(ze) this Halloween with a sweet, spirited cocktail! These six sips are easy to concoct for an evening of magic and mischief.I can’t believe Halloween is this weekend! It’s one of my favorite holidays, and my excitement always escalates the closer we get to Trick-or-Treat time. We’re celebrating in low-key fashion this year, but I’m still planning to make our night extra-special with a triple feature of Beetlejuice, Frankenweenie, and Corpse Bride. And! I’m mixing up some scary good cocktails to go with our feast of sweets!All of these cocktails were developed especially for HGTV.com, and all of the recipes are linked in this blog post. Let’s dig in!Continued, click to read more… LEGGI TUTTO

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      Pumpkin Pie Bars with Candied Ginger Whipped Cream

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      1 Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9×13-inch ungreased glass baking dish with parchment paper, leaving enough of the paper hanging over the sides to use as a sling to remove the bars once they’re baked.

      2 Make the crust: Add the graham crackers to the bowl of a food processor and pulverize them until they are finely ground and resemble sand. You should have a little over 3 cups once ground. (If you don’t have a food processor you can also do this by placing the graham crackers in a ziptop bag and smashing them with a rolling pin.)
      Add the melted butter, light brown sugar, and salt; pulse until fully combined.
      3 Transfer to the prepared baking dish: Spread the graham cracker mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Use your fingers and the bottom of a dry measuring cup to help press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the dish.

      4 Bake the crust: Transfer the baking dish to the oven and place it on the center rack. Bake  for 12 minutes, or until the crust darkens a bit and smells slightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
      5 Make the custard: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, cream, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla, until smooth and well-combined. Pour the custard over the graham cracker crust.

      6 Bake the bars: Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the custard is set (the surface should look dry, taut, and the center should be firm), 50 to 60 minutes.
      7 Remove from the oven and cool: Place the baking dish on a wire rack, and cool completely, at least 2 hours. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
      8 Make the whipped cream: While the bars chill in the refrigerator, make the whipped cream.
      In a well-chilled bowl, whisk together the cream and vanilla until stiff peaks begin to form. (If doing this by hand, this could take 10 to 15 minutes or more.) If you want to learn all about properly whipped cream read our post: How to Make Whipped Cream.
      Once the cream has been whipped to stiff peaks, fold in the finely chopped candied ginger. If you’re piping the whipped cream onto the bars, pay close attention to how finely chopped the ginger is so it doesn’t clog the piping tip.

      9 Cut the bars: When the bars are chilled, lift the parchment ends and remove from the pan. Use a long sharp knife to cut the pie into bars. For the cleanest lines, cut straight down rather than dragging the knife through the bars, and carefully wipe the blade between each cut.
      10 Serve: Spoon or pipe a dollop of whipped cream on top of each bar, garnish with a piece of candied ginger, and serve. LEGGI TUTTO

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      Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

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      Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread! Made with pumpkin puree and warm fall spices, sprinkled with chocolate chips. Great for an afternoon snack with coffee!

      Photography Credit: Cindy Rahe

      Confession: I am a late bloomer when it comes to my love for pumpkin.
      My mom doesn’t really like pumpkin, so the only encounters that I had with it before adulthood were in the form of store-bought pumpkin pies in those crinkly aluminum tins topped with a dollop of partially frozen cool whip. Not exactly the tastiest introduction!

      A Favorite Pumpkin Treat
      Maybe it was fate, but I discovered my love of baking around the same time that a certain coffee chain debuted pumpkin spice to the masses. The two things inevitably collided and a late love of pumpkin baked goods was born!
      These days, I tend to prefer pumpkin cakes, cookies, and breads over custardy pumpkin treats (too many bad childhood memories!). This chocolate chip pumpkin bread is a favorite.

      Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe
      This is a super moist loaf with a bright orange, not-too-dense crumb. A sprinkle of mini chocolate chips in the batter creates a contrast between the sweet, tender crumb of the bread and almost bitter chocolate.
      The barest hint of spice in the batter is amplified by the liberal coating of cinnamon sugar on top of the bread. This does double duty: it adds flavor and it turns into a crackly crust as the bread bakes (My tasters declared that as their favorite part.)
      This bread keeps like a dream for at least a few days, wrapped well, on the countertop.
      More Great Add-Ins for Pumpkin Bread
      Try some of these other ideas instead of — or in addition to! — chocolate chips in your pumpkin bread:
      Toasted, chopped nuts — walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts
      Butterscotch chips or cinnamon chips
      Grated coconut — both mixed in and sprinkled over top
      Chopped, fresh apples
      Dried cranberries
      If you love pumpkin spice, try swapping in 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice blend (or 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon cloves, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg)

      From the editors of Simply Recipes

      How to Store & Freeze Pumpkin Bread
      Wrap up any leftovers with foil or plastic wrap and store on the counter. The bread will keep for several days.
      This bread can also be frozen for up to 3 months, just like banana bread (read more here).
      Make Mini-Loaves or Pumpkin Muffins!
      Mini-Loaves: Divide batter between mini-loaf pans and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick emerges clean from the center.
      Muffins: Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick emerges clean from the center of a muffin.
      Other Pumpkin Treats to Try!

      Updated October 26, 2020 : We spiffed up this post to make it sparkle! No changes to the recipe.

      Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Recipe

      Ingredients
      For the topping:
      3 tablespoons sugar
      1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
      For the bread:
      2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
      2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
      3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
      1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
      1 cup (244 g) pumpkin purée
      1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar
      2 large eggs
      1/2 cup (125 ml) whole milk (2% is also fine)
      1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
      2 teaspoons vanilla extract
      1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for topping

      Method

      1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan.
      2 Mix the topping: Whisk 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon together in a small bowl. Set aside
      3 Mix the dry ingredients: Combine the flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
      4 Make the batter: In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and fold to combine. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.

      5 Transfer the batter into the loaf pan. Tap the pan a few times on the counter to remove air bubbles, then smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and more mini chocolate chips.

      6 Bake the bread: Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes before removing and cooling completely.
      Wrap up any leftovers with foil or plastic wrap and store on the counter. The bread will keep for several days.

      Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you!

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      This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

      Cindy Rahe
      Cindy Rahe is the recipe maker and picture taker behind Hungry Girl por Vida. She loves to bake from scratch and make things that taste as good as they look. Cindy was born near Seoul but grew up in California and Nevada. She believes strongly in homemade birthday cakes, creamy coffee, and making room for dessert.
      More from Cindy LEGGI TUTTO