Succumbing to dark temptation takes on a whole new meaning with this rich, decadent, Baileys-and-brandy beverage inspired by Darkest Dungeon.
You’ll need:
- 1 oz (30ml) dry French brandy
- 1 oz (30ml) Baileys
- 3/4 oz (20ml) white cream de cacao
- 1/4 oz (10ml) amaretto
- 1 whole egg
- Dark chocolate for garnish (optional)
Method
Add all ingredients to a shaker without ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds, or until cocktail is foamy. Add ice to shaker. Shake again (vigorously!) to chill. Strain into a cocktail glass. Serve!
To do the chocolate garnish illustrated above, simply melt 6-8 squares of dark chocolate in a microwave (20 second pulses). Dip the tip of a teaspoon in the melted chocolate and whip vigorously over the cocktail glass across every angle until desired coverage is achieved.
For best results, chill the glass beforehand and afterwards—this will stop the chocolate from melting into the drink.
“I was a good man, once. Beloved. Respected. But even the best men would fall to the unending temptation that assailed my mind—whispers… whispers from the shadows… whispers with promises.”
– Ancestor’s Memoirs, page 347
While the various heroes that arrive at the Hamlet have their own reasons for delving into the deep and the dark, the players of Darkest Dungeon appear for one reason alone: to answer the call of their distant Ancestor.
This Ancestor wasn’t exactly the most pure of people. His riches and ambition created a deadly combination of hubris and curiosity. He delved too deep into things that man was not meant to know, and awoke something that should have been left sleeping. Ultimately, the Ancestor fell prey to temptation; physical, mental and spiritual.
I wanted to replicate this temptation by creating a drink that imbibers would know is bad for them, but couldn’t stop from sipping anyway. Something rich, something powerful, something that always brought you back for more, more, MORE…
Like your creamy drinks? Try Joy from We Happy Few next.
The Ancestor’s Temptation was originally based on a Brandy Alexander, which consists of equal parts brandy, cream and white creme de cacao. It’s a dessert cocktail, and is generally considered an occasional decadent treat.
However, even this isn’t exactly the stuff that would tempt even the most purehearted like the Darkest Dungeon can. I wanted to take that decadence and ratchet it up to 11.
I kept the brandy as the base liquor, but I do suggest using a dry one. This is going to be a sugar-laden drink and I make no apologies about that, but even I have my limits.
The Baileys provides a little more depth of flavour than the traditional cream, while retaining that thick, creamy mouthfeel. You can use most Irish creams for this, but Baileys is the most accessible in my opinion so I suggest sticking with that.
The egg (whole egg) is in there for one reason only: to provide a thicker drink than even the Baileys can provide, and add a little cappuccino-like foam to the top of the drink for some multi-layered texture.
Brandy Alexanders are delicious, but they can also be a little bland. I didn’t want the Ancestor’s Temptation to just be a slight variation, so I spiced it up with a little Amaretto nuttiness.
Lastly, the cacao; I did ease it back a little from the original Brandy Alexander to make room for the amaretto, because I knew the chocolate garnish would make up for any lost balance there.
This drink is super decadent. It’s got a huge, creamy mouthfeel from the Baileys, boosted into the stratosphere by the egg and dry shake, as well as a boatload of chocolatey goodness from the cacao and the garnish, all finished up with a touch of sweet almond from the amaretto. I like to think of it as my own personal recipe for Egg Nog Plus.
Definitely a tempting proposition for anyone looking for a slow sipper after a lovely meal, a warming beverage for a cold winter night, or those notorious for having a sweet tooth.
Enjoy in front of a roaring fire, in a dressing gown, a forbidden book detailing profane rituals open on your lap…
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