Chocolate Rum Recipe

I made my first visit to Kauai this year.  On my trip, I went on a 3 hours tour of Steelgrass Farms, one of the few chocolate farms in the USA. If you ever get the chance I would highly recommend the visit, we tried almost 20 different chocolates, ate fruit right out of the pod, and were taught the process of making the yummy chocolate we all know and love.

A few days later I visited the Koloa Rum distillery and tasted a number of their quality rums. At the Steelgrass farm, a purchased a package of their brewing chocolate and a package of their roasted cacao nibs. Chocolate and rum seem like a natural combination to me, so here we go!

chocolate rum recipe

375ml 80 proof Koloa Silver Rum (Cruzan is my go to inexpensive rum)
One tablespoon of roasted cacao nibs or brewing chocolate
50ml sugar
25ml water

In an aging container, combine the rum and nib or brewing chocolate. Let sit for 30 days, filter and pour back into the aging container. In a saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When sugar is dissolved, set aside to cool. When cool combine with the rum in the aging container stirring to combine. Let sit for a month, then bottle.

The roasted cacao nibs and the brewing each made an excellent chocolate rum. If I had to choose, the nibs made a slightly better product, but the brewing chocolate was much less expensive, and brewing chocolate makes a really tasty hot beverage. The flavor is full and a rich, picture a rummy light chocolate syrup. Easily one of the best tasting flavored spirits I have ever made.

Bourbon Vanilla Extract Recipe

750ml Bourbon the higher proof, the better
30 Madagascar Bourbon Grade B Vanilla Beans 6 to 7"

bourbon vanilla extract

My recipe is going to be different than most extract recipes in three ways, first, get yourself the best quality highest proof bourbon you can buy. You can buy barrel strength bourbon somewhere around 118 proof; I used Bull Run Barrel Strength Bourbon and Bookers would be great also. Yes, I know this will be expensive, but the higher proof will do a better job of extracting the flavor out of the vanilla. Next, you need a lot of vanilla beans. If you look an Amazon, you should be able to buy a 30 pack around $20.



Split the vanilla beans in half, lengthwise. Scrape out the insides. Put the insides and beans in a
Clean aging container and pour in bourbon so the beans are fully submerged. Put the jar in a dark cupboard and shake it weekly. My last suggestion is to let this sit for at least six months, and a year is even better. The vanilla bean insides are thick and tarry and take time for the alcohol to draw out the flavor.

This will be the brightest and most intense vanilla flavor you have ever tasted. The bourbon flavor melds perfectly with the vanilla in a way only your taste buds will understand.  Wonderful in baking, sauces, anything that could use some vanilla. Put a few drops in any brown spirit and drink it neat, you will be pleasantly surprised.