JOIN USSpike your desserts with some bubbly!
Remember the bhang mithai you gorged on last Holi, or even the delicious rum cake you filled your soul with last New Year’s?
Well, alcohol in desserts is not just reserved for occasions but can make any romantic dinner or a bachelor’s party a dreamy indulgent do. Liquors and liqueurs make chocolates more extravagant, fruit tarts sweeter and even mousses and trifles more flavourful. Tried an Irish Whiskey Cake or a Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce lately?
Hear it from the chefs themselves... Chef Xavier Namchyomoo from Irezumi – Asian Tapas Club says, “A touch of bubbly has the ability to enhance the taste of any dessert, especially a sorbet or a pie, and take it up a notch or two. A simple combo of sorbet and sparkling wine can do wonders and make the dessert a classic treat with a boozy effect in every bite of it.”
“Fruits and wines play perfect companions to make a wonderful dessert. For a potent taste, fruits should be dipped in wine for at least two-three hours.”
Chef Sabyasachi Gora, who designed the new food menu at The Beer Cafe, says, “While not many people use beer as an ingredient for desserts, I feel citrus-flavoured beers are very suitable for this. They blend in beautifully and make for amazing desserts like Citrus Beer Pudding With Toffee Sauce served with ice-cream and Steamed Date Pudding.”
“Another favourite of mine is the Banana Beeramisu. It uses beer, espresso, cocoa powder, chocolate, banana and cream.”
Europe specialises in alcoholic desserts where people love to combine desserts with drinks. In fact, every region there, having a developed an alcoholic variety of its own, specialises in specific liquor desserts.
Chef Harish from Elf Café & Bar says, “Italian wines provide a balanced texture and aroma to a dessert. When blended, they give the right dose of sweetness and spiciness to the dessert and makes its taste authentic. As Italy has been a big producer of sweet liqueurs for a really long time and using liqueurs in desserts has been a culture for the country, they make the most amazing and classic desserts in the world.”
Chef Sunil Tomar from Storm Bar & Grill adds, “Dark rum makes an amazing chocolate-based dessert that is totally irresistible. Whisky makes amazing Scottish dessert. Cranachan – A Scottish dessert is incomplete without whisky.”