Russian Toffee Coffee

When I think of warming winter drinks I automatically think of Irish Coffees (aside from mulled wine). An Irish coffee is a perfect way to end a meal or to warm up on a cold and snowy night - it's not unusual for me to order an Irish coffee in the local pub after a session of snow angelling.

Last weekend I made some toffee vodka for Christmas. I think I made it too soon though as there is already a substantial amount missing from the bottle as I've discovered it's lovely in coffee, so when Tassimo gave me a challenge of creating a winter warmer drink it had to be this.

Russian Toffee Coffee

Shot of Toffee Vodka

Scoop of Kelly's clotted cream and Honeycomb ice cream (or another flavour of your choice)

Tassimo Espresso shot

Whipped cream

chocolate sprinkles

Cinnamon stick stirrer 

• Add a shot of toffee vodka to a glass
• Add a scoop of ice cream on top
• Pour in a freshly brewed shot of Espresso
• Top with whipped cream and decorate with chocolate sprinkles

I was sent a selection of Tassimo drinks along with additional ingredients to make my Winter Warmers

Toffee Vodka

This is the second of my home-made alcoholic drinks for Christmas, my first being Cherry Vodka. Whereas that one is best left for a few months, this is good to drink within a couple of days. I have my sister in law to thank for putting this idea into my head and just had to try it for myself.

Toffee Vodka

500ml bottle with secure stopper
vodka
135g Werthers Original butter candies

• If the neck on the bottle is wide enough you can put the Werthers straight into the bottle, otherwise you may have to cut them in half.
• Once all of the sweets are in the bottle then just top up with vodka and pop a lid on.
• Over the next couple of days shake the bottle to dissolve the sweets
• Once they are fully dissolved it's ready to drink

Coming soon ..... Malteser Vodka!

I was sent the above bottle as part of a package from Pattesons Glass. This is a corked 500ml Stephanie bottle.

Cherry Vodka

In preparation for Christmas I've been making a few of my own flavoured vodkas. Two years ago I made up a large batch of Cranberry vodka which we drank the last of last Christmas. My brother still had his bottle up until this year and said it was amazing when they eventually got around to drinking it, therefore this Cherry Vodka is not really something that you should be making for this Christmas, but maybe next or the one after!

I made 2 small bottles at the weekend and although they are good enough to drink now they will definitely improve with age over the next few months or so, and turn syrupy like a liquor. If you're feeling really generous you could tie some ribbon around the neck, pop a label on and give as a gift.

For each 250ml bottle I used approximately the following quantities :

Cherry Vodka

100g Cherries (I used frozen cherries)
100g caster sugar
150ml vodka

• Pop the cherries into the bottle
• Pour the sugar in carefully
• Top up with vodka
• Place the lid on and gently agitate to dissolve as much of the sugar as possible 
• Gently agitate each day until the sugar has dissolved completely
• Leave to mature