Red Velvet Negroni

Red Velvet Negroni

Everyone who follows along with these features or who has met me socially knows I love a Negroni. The chocolate Negroni is already a thing that exists, so it’s not much of a stretch to push it just a little further into Red Velvet cake territory. Red Velvet cake is, after all, a colorful version of chocolate cake. “Velvet” cakes were a soft crumb cake considered to be “fancy” in the twentieth century. “Devil’s Food” cake, made with chocolate, may have been the precursor to its red velvet cousin, which uses cocao instead. The red color was promoted, as noted, by the Adam’s company, after the cake became popular at the Waldorf Astoria hotel. A Negroni is already the right color, too.

baking with booze

The red velvet Negroni relies on a few infusions to bake in all the right flavors. Cacao nibs are crumbled bits of dried cacao beans that can be used to accent foods or drinks. They are full of antioxidant and some believe in their health benefits. Infused in Campari, they lend a rich chocolate flavor to the bitter liqueur and are a well beloved way to create a delicious Negroni variation. In addition, I also infused the gin with Biscoff cookies, in an attempt to add vanilla cake flavors. The result was a bit cloudy, but delicious. The recipe seems to be in the development phase, and next time I’ll clarify the cookie infused gin with a milk wash to give a velvety smooth texture and restore the clarity to the drink. Baking can be so rewarding - Cheers!

a velvety pair

Red Velvet Negroni

1 oz Biscoff infused gin

1 oz cacao nib infused Campari

¾ oz sweet vermouth

¼ oz crème de cacao

2 dashes mole bitters

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a favorite glass. Garnish with a cookie – perfect for dipping!

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