Brewin’ with Brandi: Chocolate Martini
Oh, how we love Brandi — with her fun recipes and troublemakin’ ways! This week, she’s concocted a dangerously delicious Chocolate Martini that features Monin’s Dark Chocolate syrup & sauce. It was a hit with the crew — and we’re pretty sure it will be with you, too.
Ingredients
- 1 oz Monin Dark Chocolate syrup
- 1 oz half & half
- 1/2 oz Irish cream liqueur
- 2 1/2 oz Vodka
- ice
- Monin Dark Chocolate sauce – for garnish
Directions
- Drizzle chocolate sauce on a martini glass in your favorite, creative pattern and chill in the freezer.
- Add all syrup, half & half, liqueur, vodka and ice into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.
- Strain into chilled martini glass and serve.
Brewin’ with Brandi: Mocha Fondue
Who doesn’t want to get up close and personal with tons of melting chocolate? Watch as Brandi whips up a batch of the Mocha Fondue on our resident Vita-Mix blender.
Recipe: Mocha Fondue
While nothing beats making a smokin’ fondue in the Vita-Mix, you can also do this on the stove top (though it’s not quite as fun).
Ingredients
- 12 oz chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 oz brewed Velton’s Twilight Blend
- 1 cup half & half
- A selection of dippers: strawberries, pineapple, marshmallows, pretzels – whatever strikes your fancy!
Directions
- Combine chocolate chips, powdered sugar, coffee and cream in the Vita-Mix and begin blending at variable speed 1.
- Continue to increase the speed until it’s on high and then blend until warm.
- Pour out into a serving dish and go to it with your favorite dipping treats!
Brewin’ with Brandi: Snowball!
Brandi takes our lovely Snowball recipe and whips up a batch using the Breville Milk Cafe! Since the weather has just taken a sharp turn for the chilly worse the last few days, we’re pretty sure we’ll be keeping ourselves warm via a combination of this toasty-tasty beverage and our good friend Nanook.
Brewin’ with Brandi: Espresso Bark
If you haven’t decided on your goodie bags for this holiday season, might we recommend you incorporate these ridiculously delicious chocolate and coffee bean confections?
Watch Brandi whip up a batch — the recipe is super easy and located below.
Ingredients
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon butter or margarine
- 3/4 cup whole coffee beans (we used Velton’s Bonsai Blend)
- 1/4 cup chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips
Directions
- Cover a cookie sheet with waxed paper
- Combine the chocolate chips and the butter/margarine in a microwave-safe bowl. Using 30-second intervals, heat the chocolate chips and stir in between each interval until melted.
- Mix in the whole coffee beans and white chocolate; stir to combine.
- Spread mixture over wax paper and place in the freezer until set. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Brewin’ with Brandi: Caramel and Spice and Everything Nice!
We’re always whipping up concoctions laden with caffeine and/or booze in them, so this time around Brandi went with something a little bit more kid-friendly. Watch her make this caramel and cinnamon laced cream soda. Recipe details below!
Ingredients
- 1 oz Monin Caramel syrup
- 1/2 oz Monin Cinnamon syrup
- 2 oz half & half
- 8 oz sparkling water
- ice
Directions
Combine the syrups, half & half and sparkling water together, mix well. Pour over tall glass of ice.
Brewin’ with Brandi: Mocha Crispies
Sometimes, sugar just isn’t enough. Other times, caffeine just isn’t enough. When these times coalesce, the only remedy is MOCHA CRISPIES!!
Watch Brandi concoct her first solid-food recipe for SCG — super yummy, super addictive, super dangerous (recipe below).
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 shots of espresso
- 1 bag large marshmallows
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 8 cups crispy rice cereal
- Monin Dark Chocolate sauce to taste (it’s the topping)
Directions
- In a large pot, melt butter
- Add espresso and stir to combine
- Add all the marshmallows and stir continuously until they are melted
- Add chocolate chips and stir continuously until they are melted
- Once mixture is completely combined, remove from heat and add rice cereal
- Mix thoroughly and then pour into a greased 8 x 8 pan; let cool and then drizzle Monin chocolate sauce over the top (to taste)
Recipe: Isn’t She Lovely?
Summer’s gone and it’s time to hibernate inside as the colors of the leaves change. Now all you can think about is nestling indoors to keep yourself warm until Spring rolls around — and it’s not a bad idea to grab that lucky lady or gentleman and a cup of warm sweetness inspired by Stevie Wonder to help you get through those cold Fall months.
Ingredients
- 1 shot of espresso
- 1/2 oz. oz Monin Caramel sauce
- 1/2 oz. Monin Irish Cream syrup
- 6 oz. steamed milk
Directions
Mix together sauce and syrup. Pour shot of espresso over the mixture and stir to combine. Top it off with steamed milk and enjoy every last sip until it’s time to come out of hibernation!
Recipe: Chocolate Covered Cherry Flotation Device
In the event of a water landing, this won’t do you any good, but if you feel like you’re barely swimming through these early Autumn days, this float will give you a much-needed boost. It could be the sugar, it could be the caffeine, it could be the reminiscences of the halcyon days of your youth, killing time at the soda fountain.
Ingredients
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
- 1/2 oz Monin Dark Chocolate sauce
- 1/2 oz Monin Cherry syrup
- 1/2 oz Monin Dark Chocolate syrup
- Cola – to fill
Directions
Place ice cream in a pint glass, cover with dark chocolate sauce. Pour the cherry and dark chocolate syrup over it, then fill with cola. Garnish with a cherry, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, all or none of the above.
Recipe: Apple Spiced Soda
Our summer here in Seattle has been lackluster, at best, and today marks the end of even the illusion of summer knocking on our door. So what better way to celebrate that then by sipping on a soda infused with one of autumn’s most legendary symbols.
Ingredients
- 1/2 oz Monin Caramel Apple syrup
- 1/4 oz Monin Spicy Red Cinnamon syrup
- 8 oz sparkling water or club soda
- ice
Directions
Pour syrups over ice, top with sparkling water or club soda. Stir to combine and enjoy!