Hot Vodka with Honey (Krupnik)

Recipe from food.com


2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons of cold water
4 cups boiling water
1 small cinnamon sticks
10 peppercorns
20 allspice berries
1/4 vanilla beans, sliced and scraped
1/4 nutmeg, grated
2 cloves
rind of 1 orange
1 1/3 cups honey
2 cups vodka Directions

Heat sugar in 2 Tbs of water until it dissolves, then stir in the boiling water. Add vanilla bean, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and allspice berries.

Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the caramel mixture and return to the pan. Stir in honey and orange rind and heat, stirring, until the honey has completely dissolved. Bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir vodka.

Serve hot or cold.

Holiday Cocktails and Shooters

CANDY CANE MARTINI


1 1/2 oz. Vodka
1 tsp. peppermint schnapps

Mix all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Option: Garnish with a small candy cane or create a candy cane "rimmer" with crushed candy canes.


PEPPERMINT PATTY

1/2 oz crème de cacao
1/2 oz peppermint schnapps
1 oz cream

Stir all 3 ingredients with ice, strain into shot glass.



AFTER EIGHT

1/2 oz coffee brandy
1/2 oz crème de menthe (white or green)
1/2 oz Irish cream

Shake all these ingredients with ice and strain into a shot glass. Enjoy a liquid After Eight, after dinner.



CANDY CANE SHOOTER

1/2 oz crème de menthe
1/2 oz grenadine
1/2 oz peppermint schnapps


Layer the grenadine syrup, crème de menthe and then peppermint schnapps. A nicely layered shooter that will test the bartender's skills.



CHRISTMAS CHEER

1 oz eggnog
1/2 oz peppermint schnapps

You can either layer this drink, eggnog first, or stir the ingredients together before drinking.



NUTCRACKER SHOOTER

1/2 oz amaretto
1/2 oz Amarula Cream
1/2 oz Frangelico

Pour a layer of Frangelico into the bottom of the shot glass. Then carefully slide on a layer of amaretto, using the back of a spoon. Top with a layer of Amarula Cream.



MISTLETOE

1/2 oz Chambord
1/2 oz melon liqueur
1/2 oz orange liqueur

In a tall shot glass add Chambord, then gently pour Midori (or other melon liqueur), the second layer, over the back of an inverted spoon so that it flows on top of the Chambord without mixing. Repeat the process using orange liqueur.

This makes a good holiday shooter. You can flambé it by igniting the top with a match. Blow flame out after a few seconds and make certain the rim of the glass has cooled before drinking.



AFTER FIVE

1/2 oz coffee liqueur
1/2 oz Irish cream
1/2 oz peppermint schnapps


Pour coffee liqueur into shot glass until about 1/2 full. Using a spoon (inverted), slowly pour in the peppermint schnapps until glass is about 3/4 full. Done correctly, the schnapps will flow under the Kahlua, creating a clear layer.

Using the spoon again, but this time right side up, slowly top off the glass with a layer of Irish cream. Be careful to place the spoon right at the top of the coffee liqueur layer and to raise it as the glass fills up. Done correctly, this will provide a layer of Irish cream floating over the coffee liqueur.