Spooktacular Sips

WORDS:: Chyka Keebaugh

PHOTOS:: Lisa Atkinson

 

 

Everyone loves a cocktail, right? How about a scary cocktail to celebrate Halloween? I wouldn’t say no to that!

 

 

There are so many fun ideas out there that will inspire you to make the scariest cocktails ever. What is even better is that they are quite simple to make but look crazy over the top - my favourite style of entertaining! Shops such as Spotlight, your local two dollar shop, gift stores and those weird but wonderful party shops are full to the brim with Halloween novelties. I love to be handed a cocktail on arrival to any party and think they are the ultimate ice breaker, so giving a spooky cocktail to your guests at the beginning of your night is the perfect way to kickstart your gathering.

 

Five spooky Cocktails to get your Halloween started…

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Brain Haemorrhage Shot

How to...

  1. 1/2 - 3/4 oz. Peach Schnapps

  2. Float 1-2 Tbl. of Baileys on top

  3. Drop 1 tsp of grenadine through the Baileys.

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Black Widow Cocktail

Ingredients

  • For Devilish Blackberry Juice

  • 2 quarts of fresh blackberries or 2 (16 ounce) packages of frozen berries

  • ½ cup of water

  • For Spooky Simple Syrup

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 cup sugar

  • For Black Widow Cocktail

  • 6 oz blackberry juice

  • 1 oz simple syrup

  • 2 oz vodka

  • ice

  • blackberries for garnish (frozen or fresh)

To make blackberry juice

  1. Thoroughly rinse or thaw berries and place them into a saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for about 5-10 mins, until all the blackberries are softened.

  2. Remove from heat and mash the blackberries with a potato masher. Pour the juice into a bowl or jar through a large wire mesh strainer or a milk bag. Discard the pulp. Store the juice in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Or process in a water-bath canner for about 10 minutes in mason jars.

To make simple syrup

Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Continually stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Promptly remove from heat and allow syrup to cool. Syrup can be stored in a glass jar for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.

Black Widow Cocktail

  1. To make this spooky sip, combine blackberry juice, simple syrup, vodka and ice in a lowball glass. Stir and drink at your own risk.

  2. Garnish with blackberries.

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Vampire Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 2 cups raspberries

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 4 ounces vodka

  • 2 ounces amaretto

  • 2 ounces orange juice

  • 6 ounces club soda

  • 4 plastic syringes

  • Dry ice (optional)

Method

  1. Puree the raspberries in a blender or food processor. Press the puree through a fine mesh strainer to separate the pulp from the seeds. Discard the seeds.

  2. Combine the puree with the sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir frequently and cook until mixture darkens and thickens about 10 minutes. Chill until ready to use.

  3. Add vodka and amaretto to a shaker with ice and shake until very cold, about 20 seconds. Stir in orange juice and club soda. Pour into iced glasses.

  4. Fill syringes with equal parts of the raspberry syrup and place in glasses before serving.

  5. For an extra spooky effect add 1/2 teaspoon of dry ice to your glass, this will create a misty bubbling effect and make your drink turn into a living cauldron!

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Boo-nilla Shake (non-alcoholic)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 2 pints vanilla ice cream

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • Honey

  • Sesame seeds

Method

  1. Dip six 8-ounce glasses into honey on a saucer before then coating in sesame seeds.

  2. Blend milk and 1-pint ice cream in a blender until smooth. With machine running, add remaining pint ice cream, one scoop at a time; blend until smooth. Pour milkshake into six 8-ounce glasses, filling them 3/4 full.

  3. Put cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add confectioners' sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip. Pipe spiral mounds of whipped cream on top of milkshakes.

  4. Cut out spooky eyes and mouth out of black paper and stick to glass using double sided sticky tape to decorate. Serve immediately and Boo!

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Trick or Treat Punch

Ingredients

  • 2 cups apple juice, chilled

  • 1 1/2 cups orange juice, chilled

  • 2 cups dry ginger ale, chilled

  • 3 cups lemonade, chilled

  • 2/3 cup vodka

  • 125g strawberries, hulled, diced

  • Ice cubes, to serve 

Method

  1. Combine apple juice, orange juice, dry ginger ale and lemonade in a large jug.

  2. Add vodka, strawberries, and ice. Serve.

 

 

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