Serves 4 to 6

Ron Silver

6 oz good quality unsweetened chocolate , broken pieces

2 cups milk

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup condensed milk

1/2 cup sugar

pinch of ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 pinches cayenne pepper , or to taste

In the top of a double boiler over simmering water , melt the chocolate.

Stir together the milk , cream , and condensed milk in a heavy 2 quart saucepan over low heat . Cook until very hot but not boiling . Whisk in the sugar , cloves , cinnamon and cayenne pepper .

Whisk the melted chocolate into the cream mixture and continue whisking until no chocolate steaks remain and beverage is smooth and very hot .

Pour into mugs and serve.

Willian Sonoma

Ice cubes

1 cup ( 8 fl oz / 250 ml ) cranberry juice

1 cup ( 8 fl oz / 250 ml ) fresh tangerine juice

1/4 cup ( 2 fl oz / 60 ml ) fresh lime juice

4 lime zest twists

Put 4 martini glasses in the freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes . Just before serving , fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice. Pour over the cranberry juice , tangerine juice , and lime juice . Cover with the lid and shake vigorously up and down for 10 seconds . Strain into the chilled glasses, dividing evenly . Garnish each glass with a lime twist , serve at once.

Williams Sonoma

Ice cubes

1 cup (8 fl oz /250ml ) vodka

1/4 cup (2 fl oz / 60 ml ) dry vermouth

1/2 cup ( 4 fl oz / 125 ml ) cranberry juice

8 cranberries , frozen

4 lemon zest twists

Put 4 martini glasses in the freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes. just before serving , fill a cocktail shaker half full of ice . Pour over the vodka , vermouth and cranberry juice . Cover with the lid and shake vigorously up and down for about 10 seconds. Strain into the chilled glasses , dividing evenly . Garnish each glass with 2 frozen cranberries and a lemon twist . Serve at once.

Makes about 18

David’s (a bistro !) Sailsbury , Maryland

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 stick (1/4 cup ) unsalted butter

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup sliced almonds , chopped

Preheat oven to 350*F and generously grease 2 cookie sheets.

Cook brown sugar , butter and syrup in a 1 quart saucepan over moderate heat , stirring occasionally until smooth . Remove from heat, then stir in flour and almonds.

Spoon scant tablespoons of batter 6 inches apart on baking sheet ( 4 cookies per sheet ) and bake 1 sheet at a time in middle of oven  until golden brown and bubbling , 6 to 8 minutes , ( cookies will spread 5 to 6 inches ) Cool cookies on sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Quickly but carefully remove cookies from sheet with a metal spatula and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Serves 2

Chocolatier magazine

1/2 cup vanilla

2 tbs Hazelnut Liqueur (such as Frangelico or Capella)

1 tsp unsweetened nonalkalized cocoa powder

Perugina Baci chocolates

Place all ingredients into the jar of a blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour mixture into 2 glasses and serve with Perugina Baci chocolates.

Chocolatier Magazine

Serves 2

1 1/2 oz white chocolate ,coarsely chopped

1 cup milk

2 tbs coffee liqueur , such as Kahlua

1 tbs Burbon

Sweetened whipped cream , for garnish

Chocolate coffee beans , for garnish

Put chocolate in a medium bowl . In a small saucepan , heat milk until scalding. Pour the hot milk over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the coffee liqueur and burbon. Pour mixture into 2 coffee mugs and garnish with whipped cream and chocolate coffee beans, if desired.

..seriously how great would this be on Valentine’s day!!!!

1/2 oz (1 tbs ) gin

1/2 oz (1 tbs) Alize (Passion Fruit Liqueur)

6 tbs chilled dry champagne

Garnish Raspberries

Makes 1 drink

In a champagne flute combine gin and liqueur and top off with champagne. Garnish drink with berries.

Serve

Fine Cooking

Serves 6

1 cup plus 2 tbs unsweetened pure pomegranate juice ( I use Pom Brand )

3 tbs simple syrup  (equal parts sugar and water , boiled till sugar dissolves ,cooled)

1  750 ml bottle Champagne or Prosecco, chilled

In a small pitcher , stir pomegranate juice and syrup. Fill each flute about 1/3 full with the pomegranate mixture . Top with  sparkling wine and serve immediately.

Source Gourmet

Makes 6 drinks

1 lemon

1 navel orange

1 (750 -ml ) bottle dry red wine

1/2 cup sugar

3 whole cloves

1 (1 inch ) cinnamon stick

1/4 tsp whole All spice

1 green cardamon pod

1 thin slice fresh ginger

1/2 cup Tawny port

1/2 cup aquavit

1/4 cup kirsch

1/4 cup vodka

1/2 -1 cup rasins (to taste)

1/3 cup sliced blanched almonds.

Remove zest from lemon and orange with a vegetable peeler, reserving fruit for another use.

Heat half bottle of red wine, sugar ,zests ,spices and ginger in a 2 quart saucepan over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, until just barely simmering (do not boil). Simmer gently for 10 minutes, then cool. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl.

Stir in remaining wine and other alcohols. Heat in a cleaned saucepan over moderate heat until just warm.

Divide rasins and almonds among 6 small coffee cups or heatproof glasses and ladle in glogg. Serve with small spoons for eating rasins and almonds.

Serves 2

4 cups ice

3/4 cup canned sweetened coconut cream

6 tablespoons coffee liqueur

6 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur

Chocolate shavings

Blend first 4 ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into 2 tall glasses. Sprinkle with chocolate and serve.