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Cocktail History
The Bring Me Back Something French is a Christmas cocktail that was created by bartender Stephen Denaro while at Craft & Commerce in San Diego, California. Named for a rather unknown line in the first Home Alone movie, the recipe is a simple mixture of homemade hot chocolate and the anise-flavored spirit absinthe, and it tops them off with vanilla whipped cream, some festive sprinkles, and chocolate-dipped pocky sticks.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Milk: This is a liquid rich in calcium and protein that is produced by mammals. We used Prairie Farm Vitamin D Whole Milk. For a dairy-free version of this drink, try oat milk in place of the milk.
Absinthe: This is a spirit made with anise, wormwood, fennel, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Great Lakes Distillery Amerique 1912 Absinthe Verte because it’s flavorful and made locally to us. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Absinthe in place of the absinthe.
Hot Cocoa Mix: This is a sweetened chocolate product made with ground cocoa beans and sugar. We used Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Premium Hot Cocoa Mix because it’s rich and chocolatey.
Vanilla Whipped Cream: This is heavy cream that has been whipped and beaten until it is light and fluffy and flavored with vanilla. We made ours at home using an iSi Cream Whipper. For a dairy-free version of this drink, try Reddi-Wip Non-Dairy Coconut Milk Whipped Topping in place of the whipped cream.
Chocolate Pocky Sticks: These are thin stick-shaped biscuits dipped in a flavoring. We used Glico Chocolate Cream Pocky Sticks.
Sprinkles: These are small pieces of confectionary that are used as decoration. We used Wilton Assorted Holiday Sprinkles.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Saucepan: This is used to warm the ingredients. We used the Cuisinart 3-Quart Stainless Steel Saucepan with Cover.
Spoon: This is used to stir the ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips Silicone Spoon.
Ladle: This is used to transfer the drink to cups. We used the OXO Good Grips Silicone Everyday Ladle.
Tasting Notes
The Bring Me Back Something French has vanilla aromas that lead into the classically sweet flavors of hot cocoa touched with a bit of alcoholic heat before all are chased with the complex anise-tinged absinthe mixed with the cocoa for a deliciously interesting taste profile.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: This simple drink was honestly incredible, so much so that even the typically absinthe-averse Kendall had to admit how great the Bring Me Back Something French was. Whip up a batch of these before the season’s gone!
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Everyone’s favorite non-character in the first Home Alone is immortalized by this drink, which is an incredibly simple recipe that combines full-strength absinthe with hot cocoa. What feels a little too simple is actually fantastic though—an ounce of absinthe lends just enough alcoholic heat and anise flavor to the sweet cocoa to be delectable but not overpowering. Something French, indeed.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I am not typically a fan of absinthe in any cocktail, but I have to admit, the anise taste really paired well with the hot cocoa template. I didn’t love it quite as much as Alex did, and I don’t know that I would make it again. I know Alex is likely to whip up one or two though given his five-star rating, and I wouldn’t mind a sip or two again. If you love absinthe, please try this version during the Christmas season for some extra oomph!”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Liquor.com, an online beverage publication.
Whisk hot cocoa mix into milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
When warm, pour hot cocoa and absinthe into a mug.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Garnish with whipped cream, pocky sticks, and sprinkles.
Ingredients
Directions
Whisk hot cocoa mix into milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
When warm, pour hot cocoa and absinthe into a mug.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Garnish with whipped cream, pocky sticks, and sprinkles.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Absinthe in place of the absinthe to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Hot Cocoa Cocktails
If you like this cocoa-flavored cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Red Wine Hot Chocolate: A wine cocktail made with milk, hazelnut liqueur, vanilla extract, hot cocoa mix, marshmallows, and grated chocolate
Hot Peppermint Patty: A low-proof cocktail made with milk, white peppermint schnapps, dark crème de cacao, white crème de menthe, cocoa powder, whipped cream, and grated chocolate
Chestnut Hot Chocolate: A brandy cocktail made with milk, frangelico liqueur, chestnut spread, saline solution, cocoa powder, cinnamon, whipped cream, and a chestnut
Kohler Mint Cocoa: A chocolate mint brandy cocktail made with milk, white peppermint schnapps, dark crème de cacao, cocoa powder, whipped cream, and grated chocolate
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