COCOA ESPRESSO MARTINI
Apparently when Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson get together, they make cocoa espresso martinis. Prior to this week I had never had a chocolate martini, but heck, when two of the world’s most beautiful woman make a cocktail together, you have to try it, am I right? Moreover, its chocolate which is my kryptonite, and on goop, which obviously means its healthy.
This cocktail is good. Terrifically good. So good, that in the name of recipe testing I have made Goop’s Cocoa Espresso Martini three nights in the row. So good that Ryan wasn’t even embarrassed drinking the martini in front of his five college fraternity brothers on a Wednesday Zoom call. So good that Mallory called it “dessert in a glass” when I delivered it to her on her porch last night. And so good, that neither Mallory or Ryan stopped drinking when both ended up with part of their cocoa espresso martinis down the front of them due to a wayward flying tennis ball from the kids and a climbing almost one-year-old.
Goop’s recipe for Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson’s martini calls for regular vodka (preferably Hudson’s King St. Vodka if you watch the above video). But I have a recommendation that makes this martini recipe even more decadent: Crater Lake Hazelnut Espresso Vodka (sold at Total Wine & More). My future sister-in-law @betsykingma recently gifted me a bottle of Crater Lake Hazelnut Espresso Vodka. Her aunt recommended it served over vanilla ice cream and Betsy’s family has been enjoying this boozy dessert ever since. (A very delicious and highly recommended combination, although Ryan prefers chocolate mint). I recommend you use it to elevate goop’s martini recipe from fantastic to unforgettable.
LETSWINEABOUTITSISTER’S HAZELNUT COCOA EXPRESSO MARTINI
INGREDIENTS
(Makes 1)
- 1½ ounces or 3 tablespoons Crater Lake Hazelnut Espresso Vodka (regular vodka
- 1½ ounces or 3 tablespoons Malk unsweetened vanilla almond milk (Note: The goop recipe calls for macadamia nut milk. I don’t buy macadamia nut milk (or any nut milk for that matter), but Mallory does! So I borrowed (read stole) her almond milk and now I am not giving it back.)
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon good-quality cocoa powder (I used Trader Joe’s Organic Fair Trade Cacao Powder)
- 1 shot espresso
- pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
2. Shake vigorously and strain into a preferably chilled martini glass.
Recipe credit: goop
Its Friday – we made it! No more home school for two days! And I have the perfect Friday night quarantine activity idea for you. Who doesn’t love the movie “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”? (Fun fact: Mallory wore a dress to her senior high prom that looked exactly like the yellow gown that Kate Hudson wore in the movie. I promise to unearth and share a photo at some point.) Make yourself a cocoa espresso martini (you could even use King St. Vodka if you were really want to get into character); take a bubble bath with martini in hand; and watch Kate Hudson fall in love with 2003 Matthew McConaughey. Cheers!
