TEQUILA BROWNIES: National Tequila Day!

Today is National Tequila Day! Have a shot of Tequila, or, better still, make these fabulously rich Tequila Brownies.

I used Reposado Tequila in this recipe. Reposado or "rested" Tequila is aged in wood tanks or casks for a minimum of 2 months. The higher-quality Reposados are aged from 3-9 months. Reposado tequila has a full flavor and is the best-selling Tequila in Mexico and can be either 100% agave or mixto. Of course, you can use whatever Tequila you have on hand.

TEQUILA BROWNIES

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 - 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp Reposado Tequila
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 8x8x2" square pan. 
Heat butter and chocolate in saucepan over saucepan over simmering flame. Stir until melted.
In bowl, combine cocoa, sugar, flour, tequila, baking powder, salt, and eggs.
Pour in chocolate/butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
Stir in walnuts.
Spread mixture in pan.
Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Cool before cutting.

CHOCOLATE FULL MOON COCKTAIL: National Tequila Day

This year National Tequila Day coincides with the Full Moon. It must be in the stars, and I'm over the moon about it. To celebrate, here's a recipe for a Chocolate Full Moon Cocktail. Tequila and Chocolate (Creme de Cacao, both dark and clear) go so well in this easy cocktail. Don't let it fool you, though. You'll be howling at the moon, if you drink too many. :-)

Chocolate Full Moon Cocktail

Ingredients
1 oz Cream
1/2 oz Creme de Cacao
2 oz Tequila
1/2 oz Dark Creme de Cacao

Directions
Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker with ice and shake.
Strain into cocktail glass.
Garnish with chocolate curls.

TEQUILA BROWNIES: National Tequila Day

Today is National Tequila Day! Have a shot of Tequila, or, better still, make these fabulous rich Tequila Brownies.


I use Reposado Tequila in this recipe. Reposado or "rested" Tequila is aged in wood tanks or casks for a minimum of 2 months. The higher-quality Reposados are aged from 3-9 months. Reposado tequila has a robust flavor and is the best-selling in Mexico and can be either 100% agave or mixto. Of course, you can use whatever type of Tequila you have on hand in the following recipe.

TEQUILA BROWNIES

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 - 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp Reposado Tequila
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 8x8x2" square pan. 
Heat butter and chocolate in saucepan over saucepan over simmering flame. Stir until melted.
In bowl, combine cocoa, sugar, flour, tequila, baking powder, salt, and eggs.
Pour in chocolate/butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
Stir in walnuts.
Spread mixture in pan.
Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Cool before cutting.

CHOCOLATE FULL MOON COCKTAIL: National Tequila Day

Today is National Tequila Day (7/24) and Friday is the Full Moon (7/27). Since these two dates are so close together this year, it must be in the stars, and I'm over the moon. So, I decided to post a recipe for a Chocolate Full Moon Cocktail. This is a great drink! Tequila and Chocolate (Creme de Cacao, both dark and clear) go so well in this easy cocktail. Don't let it fool you, though. You'll be howling at the moon, if you drink too many. :-)

Chocolate Full Moon

Ingredients
1 oz Cream
1/2 oz Creme de Cacao
2 oz Tequila
1/2 oz Dark Creme de Cacao

Directions
Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker with ice and shake.
Strain into cocktail glass.
Garnish with chocolate curls.

Chocolate Tequila Cocktails: National Tequila Day!

Tequila is a versatile liquor that goes well in lots of beverages. It even goes well in truffles. See my recipe for Tequila Truffles HERE.

Since today is National Tequila Day, I thought I'd post some recipes using Tanteo Cocoa Tequila. Yes, you can make drinks with tequila and your own chocolate liqueur, but Tanteo Cocoa Tequila is a chocolate-infused Tequila that's delicious. It's made with 100% agave blanco tequila and infused with cocoa beans and jalapeño. I love the extra kick of the jalapeño, and the chocolate blends well with the natural agave. Tanteo Cocoa Tequila isn't overly sweet, either, so it's quite the grown-up chocolate drink! These Chocolate Tequila Cocktail recipes are from the Tanteo website.

COCOA ROSALITA
1-1⁄4 oz Tanteo Cocoa Tequila
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz Campari
1 Drop Mole Bitters

Add ingredients into an ice filled mixing glass
Stir and strain into a Champagne coupe glass
Garnish with a flamed orange zest

BLACK SOMBRERO
1-1/2 oz Tanteo Cocoa Tequila
1/2 oz Kahlua
2 oz Club Soda
lime wedge for garnish

Combine the tequila and Kahlua in a cocktail shaker filled with ice
Shake well
Pour everything into a rocks glass
Top with club soda
Garnish with a lime wedge

Have a Great Tequila Day!

Tequila Brownies for Tequila Day!

Tomorrow (June 24) is National Tequila Day! Celebrate! Have a shot of Tequila... but better still, make these fabulous rich Tequila Brownies. I'm posting in advance of the 'holiday," so you'll be able to make these!


I use Reposado Tequila in this recipe. Reposado, or "rested," Tequila is aged in wood tanks or casks for a minimum of 2 months. The higher-quality Reposados are aged from 3-9 months. Reposado tequila has a robust flavor and is the best-selling in Mexico and can be either 100% agave or mixto. Of course, you can use whatever type of Tequila you have on hand in the following recipe.

TEQUILA BROWNIES

Ingredients
1/2 cup sweet butter
12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
!/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1- 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp Reposado tequila
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 8x8x2" square pan.  (I've used a 9x13")
Heat butter and chocolate in saucepan over saucepan over simmering flame. Stir until melted.
In bowl, combine cocoa, sugar, flour, tequila, baking powder, salt and eggs.
Pour in chocolate/butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
Stir in walnuts.
Spread mixture in pan.
Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Cool before cutting.

Chocolate Full Moon: National Tequila Day

Yesterday was the Full Moon (7/22), and tomorrow is National Tequila Day (7/24). Since these two dates are so close together this year, it must be in the stars...or over the moon, so  I decided to post a recipe for a Chocolate Full Moon. This is a great cocktail! Tequila and Chocolate (Creme de Cacao, both dark and clear) go so well in this simple drink. Don't let it fool you, though. You'll be howling at the moon, if you drink too many. :-)

Chocolate Full Moon

1 oz Cream
1/2 oz Creme de Cacao
2 oz Tequila
1/2 oz Dark Creme de Cacao

Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker with ice and shake.
Strain into cocktail glass.
Garnish with chocolate curls.

Chocolate Tequila Cocktails: National Tequila Day

Tequila is a versatile liquor that goes well in lots of beverages. It even goes well in truffles. See my recipe for Tequila Truffles HERE.

Since today is National Tequila Day, I thought I'd post some recipes using Tanteo Cocoa Tequila. Yes, you can make drinks with tequila and your own chocolate liqueur, but Tanteo Cocoa Tequila is a chocolate-infused Tequila that's delicious. It's made with 100% agave blanco tequila and infused with cocoa beans and jalapeño. I love the extra kick of the jalapeño, and the chocolate blends well with the natural agave. Tanteo Cocoa Tequila isn't overly sweet, either, so it's quite the grown-up chocolate drink! These Chocolate Tequila recipes are from the Tanteo website.

COCOA ROSALITA
1-1⁄4 oz Tanteo Cocoa Tequila
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz Campari
1 Drop Mole Bitters

Add ingredients into an ice filled mixing glass
Stir and strain into a Champagne coupe glass
Garnish with a flamed orange zest

BLACK SOMBRERO
1-1/2 oz Tanteo Cocoa Tequila
1/2 oz Kahlua
2 oz Club Soda
lime wedge for garnish

Combine the tequila and Kahlua in a cocktail shaker filled with ice
Shake well
Pour everything into a rocks glass
Top with club soda
Garnish with a lime wedge

Have a Great Tequila Day!

National Tequila Day - Chocolate Tequila Mousse

Today is National Tequila Day. Yes, tequila is made mostly in Mexico, near the city of Tequila, where you’ll find blue agave, the plant that gives tequila its distinctive flavor, but America is still very much a nation of tequila drinkers, especially in California. So how to celebrate?

Around Cinco de Mayo I did several blogs about Mexican foods including chocolate, and I included an entry on Tanteo's Chocolate-Infused Tequila. It's absolutely fabulous. It's made with 100% agave blanco tequila and infused with cocoa beans and jalapeno. It works. There's a real earthy flavor and the chocolate goes well with the agave. Of course the extra kick from the jalapeno works for me. This is not a sweet syrupy drink.

O.K. so now you have something to drink, but what to eat to celebrate the day?
I found a wonderful Chocolate Tequila Mousse recipe by Ingrid Hoffman on the Food Network website.

Ingredients
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream, cold
2 large egg yolks
1 ounce tequila
1 bar semisweet chocolate (use a high quality dark chocolate 70% or more)
Fresh mint, for garnish

Directions
1. Put the semisweet chocolate in a large bowl and place in the microwave. Microwave on high for 1 minute, give the chocolate a stir, then microwave for another 30 seconds until completely melted. Set aside.
2. In clean bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer at high speed until it holds medium peaks. Set aside.
3. In a chilled clean bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer at high speed until it holds medium peaks.
4. Mix the yolks and tequila into the melted chocolate. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites first to lighten the mixture, add the remaining 2/3 of the egg whites and fold gently to keep the air in the beaten egg whites. Add the whipped cream and fold in gently, taking care not to over mix.
5. Spoon the mousse into 4 martini glasses. Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate on top of the mousse. Garnish with mint. Chill for at least 1 hour or up to a day ahead.

*RAW EGG WARNING Food Network Kitchens suggests caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.