I have made this liqueur many times and people seem to love it. Creamy base made from whole milk and double cream, with homemade vanilla extract and high quality dark chocolate make this liqueur really special. Use a good, high quality chocolate, as it will determine the flavour of the final product (I used Lindt 99% cocoa).
You can also use milk chocolate, but that may make the liqueur too sweet in the end. I prefer to use light rum, as it has a milder flavour, compared to dark rum. I actually use it in mixed drinks and cocktails. If you want a stronger liqueur, use dark rum. Please don’t be tempted to increase the amount of rum, because the end result will be too bitter.
Ingredients
400 ml whole milk
100 grams roasted whole coffee beans
200 ml double cream
50 grams extra dark chocolate
1 tablespoon instant coffee
100 grams sugar
150 ml light rum
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation
Pour the milk in a heavy-based saucepan, add the coffee beans and heat it, over medium heat, until the milk starts scalding. You don't want the milk to come to a boil, just to warm up and start to steam. Once the mixture is warm, remove it from the heat, cover and let it steep at room temperature for 1 hour. While the milk is cooling down, grate the chocolate. After an hour, add the double cream and sugar to the milk mixture, and bring almost to a boil over medium heat. Once it comes close to boiling, remove it from the heat, add the espresso powder, mix well and return it to the heat. Mix for about 15 seconds to dissolve the coffee, then remove it from the heat completely.
Immediately add the grated chocolate and mix well until it melts completely, it shouldn't take long. Once the chocolate is melted, strain it into another bowl, through a fine mesh sieve and discard the beans. Let the mixture cool down slightly, then add the rum and vanilla. Place the bowl in a relatively cool spot (not in the fridge) and let it cool to room temperature gradually, stirring from time to time as it cools down. This will prevent the mixture from separating. Once the mixture is cool, carefully pour it into a bottle, close it tightly and keep it in a cool place. Once opened, it should be kept in the fridge and used within a month. Yields 750 ml (about 3 cups).
Note: Shake the bottle well before serving, as heavier ingredients tend to sink to the bottom.
