Jemima Kirkwood
03 December 2021
We have just turned Britain's most iconic desserts into the most delicious cocktails!
Working with the ‘Mindful Mixologist’, a mixologist leading the way to sustainable drinking, we present these quirky cocktails based on Britain’s favourite puddings! Together we created these cocktails to encompass the best characteristics of each dessert, and they look absolutely scrumptious if we don’t say so ourselves!
Take a look at our selection of tempting British desserts turned boozy cocktails, with a little preview of what each looks like on your table, an ingredient list and a method for making each one. This way you can easily create them yourself at home, or in the comfort of your holiday cottage.
Jelly Legs
A tasty fusion of gin, jelly and strawberries to get you all nostalgic about childhood.
Were you one of those kids that just LOVED jelly and ice cream? The wobble of the jelly was always an entertaining quality and the ice cream melted perfectly around it. Let’s take you back...This tipsy take on the classic dessert pairs strawberry jelly and ice cream with gin, for a delicious and boozy milkshake-style tipple.
Ingredients
- 50ml gin
- 2 tablespoons strawberry jelly
- 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
- 1 sliced strawberry for garnishing
- A dollop of whipped cream on the top
The Mixologist's Method
- Blend the ingredients with a handful of ice until silky-smooth, then pour into a tall glass filled with ice.
- Drop in some sliced strawberries, top it with whipped cream and enjoy.
Schnappy Toffee Pudding
A rich and sweet boozy twist on the sticky toffee pudding that's an absolute must-try!
How could we not invent a cocktail around this deliciously sweet and sticky favourite? Yes, Britain knows how to make rich puddings alright. The dark sponge cake is represented with a dollop of dark rum, and what better than butterscotch schnapps to bring in that toffee sauce that’s to die for? Indulge this winter and make this cocktail to wow the crowd.
Ingredients
- 30ml dark rum
- 30ml butterscotch schnapps
- 15ml date syrup
The Mixologist’s Method
- Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
- Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with a caramel nest.
Notes:
- To make the caramel nest, add about 50g of white sugar to a saucepan, and slowly heat until all the sugar has dissolved into a liquid and turned a dark amber colour.
- Take off the heat, and allow 15-30 seconds so the caramel can begin to thicken. Next, take a fork, dip it into the caramel, then move the fork back and forth over a clean bowl.
- The thick caramel strings falling from the fork will get caught on each side of the bowl, creating a mess of thin caramel strings. After it's cooled, you can scoop up those strings and ball into a nest shape.
Coco Custard Delight
Treat your tastebuds with this playful take on chocolate sponge and custard, all wrapped up in a cocktail!
Do you remember being a kid and being served up chocolate sponge and hot custard? We do, and we have fond memories of it too - so simple yet so delicious! This cocktail is inspired by this gorgeously rich pudding. Indulge with this rich boozy take on our favourite classic pud.
Ingredients
- 50ml vanilla vodka
- 20ml dark chocolate liqueur
- 30ml half and half - half milk, half double cream
- Dark chocolate for garnishing
The Mixologist’s Method
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, and shake well.
- Strain out into a rocks glass, and garnish with your favourite chocolate square and a grating of dark chocolate.
King of the Crumble
A boozy take on Britain's heart-warming apple crumble - this truly is the king of the crumble!
This is a deliciously refreshing cocktail bringing in all the comforting flavours of your gran’s apple crumble. The combination of cinnamon and apple pairs beautifully with crisp winter nights, log fires or, heck, a slice of apple crumble!
Ingredients
- 50ml gin
- 50ml apple juice
- 20ml cinnamon syrup
- Dash of soda water
- 1 apple - sliced into 3 thin slices for garnishing
The Mixologist’s Method
- Pour all the ingredients into a Collins glass, or any tall narrow glass at the back of your cupboard.
- Stir well, and garnish with a few slices of apple.
Eton Martini
Let’s go back to that Eton vs Harrow cricket match and mix it up all over again with this Eton Martini.
You’ve heard of Eton Mess - the British dessert that came about as the result of a clumsy accident during a cricket match? Yes, yes, we know it well. But how about this Eton Martini? A scrumptious representation with creamy strawberry and rose. Some may say it’s pure rich elegance; we just like to drink a good pink drink from time to time!
Ingredients
- 30ml vodka
- 20ml rose liqueur
- 15ml strawberry syrup
- 20ml half & half - half milk, half double cream
- Fresh strawberries and a meringue nest for garnishing
The Mixologist’s Method
- Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker, and shake well.
- Strain out into a coupe or Martini glass, and garnish with a meringue nest, chopped strawberries and a single sprig of mint. That’s a cocktail and dessert in one!
Tipsy Trifle
Shake up the past and sip on this Tipsy Trifle cocktail with oodles of sherry and Chambord.
Dating back to the 18th century, this dessert has been a staple for many dinner parties and has a fluid nature to its ingredients. It’s time to break into grandma's cabinet and pull out that old dusty bottle of sweet sherry she's had stashed away. Try out this rich and decadent boozy twist on a timeless classic…
Ingredients
- 25ml gin
- 25ml Pedro Ximenez sherry
- 25ml Chambord
- Mixed berries for garnishing
The Mixologist’s Method
- Stir all ingredients over ice to dilute and combine.
- Strain out into a Nick and Nora or Martini glass.
- Garnish with a selection of mixed berries, and enjoy!
Bakewell Tipple
Let’s say ‘cheers!’ to Bakewell in Derbyshire for creating this amazing tart, which we can now enjoy as a cocktail too!
A personal favourite of ours is the Bakewell tart. That delicious combination of almonds and jammy goodness are just begging to be turned into a cocktail. So, that’s exactly what we did! Here's the Bakewell Tipple, a beautiful fusion of fruity flavours and sweet sensations.
Ingredients
- 60ml amaretto
- 30ml lime juice
- 1 tablespoon raspberry jam
- 30ml double cream
- 1 cocktail cherry for garnishing
The Mixologist’s Method
- Add all ingredients apart from the cream to a cocktail shaker, and shake well.
- Strain out into a Nick and Nora or Martini glass. Slowly, over the back of a spoon, pour the double cream so you get a perfectly crisp white layer sitting on top.
- Garnish with a cocktail cherry.
Good to Bee Scottish
Why have a Cranachan with a dash of whisky when you can have a whisky with a dash of Cranachan?
This is a glorious cocktail all about the Scottish dessert ‘Cranachan’. For those who are not sure what Cranachan is, it is a creamy pudding mixing oatmeal, cream, whisky and raspberries to create a delicious bowl of sensational flavours. Small in size due to its richness, you don’t need much to feel satisfied. The cocktail enjoys a dash of honey for that extra-special touch.
Ingredients
- 50ml Scotch - your favourite will do
- 3-6 raspberries
- 20ml honey
- 25ml lime juice
- Small mint sprig for garnishing
The Mixologist’s Method
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, and shake well.
- Strain out into a rocks glass, and garnish with fresh raspberries and a single mint sprig.
Boozy Banoffee
Wind down after a full-on day with a sip (or two) of Boozy Banoffee, our favourite banana delight. Ideal for the sweet tooth's out there!
This is a naturally sweet blended cocktail perfect for seasonal parties, it could freshen up a garden party or be the show-stopper at your Christmas party. This one is inspired by the classic banoffee pie and can be doubled, tripled or quadrupled to serve multiple blended Banoffee cocktails in one go! Enjoy every sip of this tasty treat.
Ingredients
- 50ml vanilla vodka
- 50ml half & half - half milk, half double cream
- ½ banana
- 3 Lotus biscuits
The Mixologist’s Method
- Add everything to a blender along with a big handful of ice.
- Blend until you get a smooth but thick consistency, and pour into a Martini glass rimmed with crushed Lotus biscuits.
- Garnish with a Lotus biscuit.
Notes
- To rim the glass, you'll need two small plates.
- Plate 1: crush up a couple of Lotus biscuits to form a crumb.
- Plate 2: add honey.
- After that, it's just a case of dipping your glass firstly into the honey (plate 2), and then into the crumb (plate 1).
Pineapple Rightside Up
Excite your senses with this fruity favourite fusing pineapple and rum - what’s so upside-down about that?
We’ve taken Britain's confused pudding - the pineapple upside-down cake - and turned it the right way up! Liquified with rum, it’s served up to bring you this 'Pineapple Rightside Up Cocktail', perfect for Tiki Tuesdays! Whip this one up and surprise your guests with fresh fruit sensations with a quirky twist.
Ingredients
- 30ml dark rum
- 25ml amaretto
- 25ml lime juice
- 50ml pineapple juice
- 20ml Orgeat
The Mixologist’s Method
- Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
- Strain into a tall glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with a caramelized pineapple triangle and two pineapple leaves.
Notes
- For the caramelized pineapple, cut a triangle slice of pineapple about ½ cm to 1cm thick.
- Spoon over white sugar to cover one side of the pineapple, and use a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar until brown and hardened. If you don’t have a blowtorch, you can pop it in an oven until the sugar caramelizes.
Tips and tricks for cocktail making
A lot of these cocktails involve shaking with a cocktail shaker. If you do not own a cocktail shaker and don’t want to commit to buying one, here are a few substitutions you can make:
- A coffee cup with a tight lid. Just fill the cup with your ingredients and ice, hold the lid on tight, and shake. Don’t forget to cover the sip hole when you shake.
- An empty and cleaned-out jar with a lid
- A Tupperware box with a tight-fitting lid
- A smoothie bottle
Be king of the cocktails this Christmas with this dessert-inspired menu. These tipples will surely wow the crowd and bring an extra-special touch to any occasion.
About the Mindful Mixologist
The Mindful Mixologist celebrates mindful drinking, creating healthy recipes which make his creations both delicious and good for you! You don’t need to go teetotal when this guy is in your life, he believes in everything in moderation and working a drink into your lifestyle rather than cutting it out - though he has many alcohol-free options in his repertoire. Join 35K other mindful drinkers and delve into the mystical land of unique cocktails and mixers on Instagram.
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.