This is the best
drink I've ever had, hands down. So good it will make your brain stop.
It's a dessert drink, made for wrapping your hands around and savoring in front of a crackling fire while a blizzard rages outside. It tastes like hot apple pie plus caramel cheesecake. Warning: The drink is seductive; delicious and warming and you don't really taste the alcohol at all, so it's easy to overdo it.
You can make it non-alcoholic by using apple cider. I've tried to provide recipes here that are at opposite ends of the spectrum of complexity; obviously there's exploring to be done in the middle ground.
Quick & easy - serves 1
1 1/2 shots dark rum
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon salted butter
Ground nutmeg
Boiling water
Stir rum and sugar until dissolved, add boiling water and top with butter and a dash of nutmeg.
More complicated & decadent, for parties - serves 30
1 lb. brown sugar - 2 1/4 cups
1 lb. powdered sugar - about 3 cups?
2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp ground white cardamom
1 lb. salted butter, softened - 4 sticks
1 qt. vanilla ice cream, softened
Rum or boiling apple cider
Boiling water
For maximum class, cinnamon sticks as stirrers
In large bowl, mix sugars and spices. Mix in butter. Add ice cream and blend until smooth. Freeze it. To serve, spoon 3 tablespoons of the mixture into a mug, add 1 jigger of rum and then top off the mug with boiling water, and stir well. For non-alcoholic version, use boiling cider, no water, and 2 tablespoons of mixture. Serve with cinnamon stick.