Chocolate Hazelnut Mille Feuille
Fererro Rocher chocolates have long been associated with the holidays. A mix of hazelnut and milk chocolate make them insanely irresistible. For this dessert, we have paired them with a similar flavour profile – Nutella buttercream! Add some beautiful puff pastry for a light but decadent showstopper of a dessert. Try pairing this recipe with Spicebox Chocolate Whisky and Carolans Irish Cream.Ingredients
Serves 8 to 10
1 cup (250 ml) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups (1 L) icing sugar
¾ cup (180 ml) Nutella or chocolate hazelnut spread
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
⅓ cup + ¾ cup (260 ml) whipping cream, divided
1 egg
1 tbsp (15 ml) milk
1 sheet puff pastry (about 12 × 15‑in/30 × 38 cm), thawed
6 Ferrero Rocher chocolates
8 oz (225 g) dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup (125 ml) chopped roasted, unsalted hazelnuts
Instructions
- In a large metal bowl and using a handheld mixer, mix butter until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add icing sugar 1 cup (250 ml) at a time until entirely incorporated. Mixture may be a bit dry, but that’s okay. Add Nutella, vanilla, salt and ⅓ cup (80 ml) whipping cream. Continue to mix until buttercream is a light colour and has no lumps. Place into a large piping bag and set aside until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
- In a small mixing bowl, beat egg and milk.
- Lay puff pastry onto a cutting board and cut into 3 equal rectangles about 5-in/12.5 cm wide. Using a pastry brush, brush top of pastry with a light layer of egg mixture.
- Place pastry onto a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool. (If pastries have puffed up unevenly, gently press down on them while still warm so they are more even.)
- Place 1 rectangle of pastry onto a flat serving plate. Pipe little dollops of Nutella buttercream around outside of pastry. Place 2 dollops in centre as well (this will help pastry from caving in with weight). Place a second layer of pastry on top and repeat previous step. Place final layer of pastry on top and decorate top with remaining buttercream. Place a chocolate on all four corners of cake as well as 2 in centre.
- Place dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat remaining ¾ cup (180 ml) cream until just about to simmer. Pour over chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir to combine; it should be a smooth chocolate ganache. Drizzle desired amount of chocolate overtop cake and sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts.
- To serve, use a serrated bread knife to cut into 1- to 2-in (2.5 to 5 cm) slices. Serve at room temperature (do not refrigerate).
Drink Pairings
Madame Boulevardier
A Boulevardier is one of the many variations of a classic Negroni, using bourbon instead of gin. The Madame Boulevardier takes on a delightful wintery twist by adding Nutty Olorosso sherry instead of red vermouth, resulting in an expression of walnut and almond flavours along with a warming dried fruit character. The sweetness is balanced by the complex bitterness of Campari for a memorable cocktail experience. Featuring Bulleit Bourbon, Campari and Oloroso Nutty Sherry.Ingredients
Serves
1½ oz (45 ml) Bulleit Bourbon
1 oz (30 ml) Campari
1 oz (30 ml) González Byass Oloroso Nutty Sherry
lemon peel, for garnish
Instructions
- Chill an old-fashioned glass in freezer for 5 minutes. In a mixing glass with cubed ice, combine bourbon, Campari and sherry. Stir well to chill and dilute, then strain over cubed ice in chilled glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.
Featuring
Hot Toddy of The North
It is a common belief that the Hot Toddy originated in India around the early 1600s, derived from the Hindi word “taddy”, a drink made with fermented palm sap. By the 1780s, the “Toddy” was redefined as “an alcoholic drink made with hot water, spices, and sugar”. This vague definition gave way for the creation of countless variations and the following recipe is another perfect Toddy, ready to a fight off a cold Canadian winter. Featuring Crown Royal Northern Harvest RyeIngredients
Serves
1½ oz (45 ml) Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye
¾ oz (22 ml) maple syrup
¾ oz (22 ml) fresh lemon juice
3 oz (90 ml) chai tea*
lemon peel studded with whole cloves, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine whisky, maple syrup, lemon juice and chai tea. Once hot, pour into a heatproof mug or glass and garnish with clove-studded lemon peel.
- * To make chai tea, pour 5 oz (150 ml) boiling water over 1 chai tea bag and steep for 4 minutes.
Featuring
Holiday Punch
Combine the flavours of BC Whisky with rosemary honey, cranberry, and lemon along with the floral character of earl grey tea to create a memorable flavour experience. This Holiday Punch can be easily made a day or two before your next holiday gathering, allowing everything to harmoniously join in chorus. Featuring Shelter Point Distillery Single Malt Whiskey.Ingredients
Serves 17
1 bottle (750 ml) Shelter Point Whisky
4 cups (1 L) Earl Grey tea*
1½ cups (375 ml) Rosemary Honey Syrup**
1½ cups (375 ml) organic 100% pure cranberry juice (not from concentrate)***
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
¾ oz (22 ml) aromatic bitters
fresh cranberries, lemon wheels and rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
- In a 16-cup (4 L) container, stir all ingredients except garnishes. Refrigerate to chill for 3 hours. When ready to serve, transfer to dispenser or bowl. Add cubed ice. For each serving add 5 oz (150 ml) to punch glass over cubed ice. Garnish with cranberries, lemon and rosemary.
- * To make Earl Grey tea, steep 6 Earl Grey tea bags in 4½ cups (1 L + 125 ml) boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and set aside to cool.
- ** To make Rosemary Honey Syrup, in a small saucepan, combine ¾ cup (180 ml) boiling water with 3 sprigs rosemary. Simmer for 5 minutes. Strain out rosemary, reserve liquid and rinse saucepan. In same saucepan, stir ½ cup (125 ml) rosemary water and 1 cup (250 ml) honey. Allow to cool before using.
- *** This cranberry juice is not blended with other juices or added sugar. It is more intensely flavoured and tart than cranberry blend options.
Featuring
Golden Delicious Collins
The BC Golden Delicious apple is recognized for its yellowish-green hue and sweetness, which makes it a favourite for baking, apple sauce and apple butter. This Collins-style cocktail combines apple, lemon, whisky, spiced maple syrup and sparkling apple juice for a vibrant and effervescent drink.Ingredients
Serves 1
½ Golden Delicious apple, cored, thinly sliced
¾ oz (22 ml) fresh lemon juice
1½ oz (45 ml) Crown Royal Apple Canadian Whisky
½ oz (15 ml) Spiced Maple Syrup*
2 oz (60 ml) sparkling apple juice
1 Golden Delicious apple, julienne, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle apple with lemon juice, then add whisky and Spiced Maple Syrup. Add cubed ice and shake gently, then strain into a Collins glass. Top with sparkling apple juice and fill with cubed ice. Garnish with julienne apple.
- *To make Spiced Maple Syrup, combine 4 oz (120 ml) maple syrup and ½ tsp (2.5 ml) baking spice** in a glass jar and microwave until hot, 30 to 60 seconds. Steep and let cool 5 minutes, then fine strain to remove spices. Store unused syrup in refrigerator. ** A combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, available prepared in most grocery stores.
Featuring
Chocolate Rye Cake
This double rye cake has rye flour and rye whiskey. It’s rich and dense, the rye flour and whiskey add a depth of flavour you won’t find in a regular chocolate cakeIngredients
Serves 8 to 10
4 large eggs, room temperature
3½ cups (860 ml) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
¼ cup (60 ml) melted butter, plus extra for buttering pan
1½ cups (375 ml) Dutch process cocoa powder, plus extra, for dusting (optional)
2½ cups (625 ml) all-purpose flour
½ cup (125 ml) rye flour
1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
2 cups (500 ml) whole milk
2 tbsp (30 ml) rye whiskey
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
whipped cream, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Butter and flour a 13 × 4 × 4-in (33 × 10 × 10 cm) Pullman loaf pan, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix eggs, sugar, vegetable oil and butter on high. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, rye flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another medium bowl, whisk whipping cream, milk, rye whiskey and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- Add half dry ingredients to egg and oil ingredients and mix on low just until combined. Add half wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Repeat with remaining dry and wet ingredients.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Cool to room temperature before removing from pan. Dust with cocoa powder, if using. Serve with whipped cream.
Drink Pairings
Bates Motel
This chilling cocktail balances suspense and intrigue in a single glass. The base of Irish whiskey is a nod to the Bates family name, while the lemon represents Norman Bates’s enigmatic character. A touch of blood-red grenadine adds a sinister element, reminiscent of the infamous shower scene, and the bitters offer an unexpected psychological twist.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Bushmills Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey
¼ oz (7.5 ml) Simple Syrup*
½ oz (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 oz (60 ml) soda water
¼ oz (7.5 ml) grenadine
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker with cubed ice, combine Irish whiskey, Simple Syrup and lemon juice. Shake gently, then strain into a Collins glass. Top with soda water and fill with crushed ice. Mix grenadine and bitters in a shot glass and drizzle over crushed ice.
- *1:1 ratio of sugar dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
Featuring
Sour Cherry & Plum Old Fashioned
Old Fashioned with a twist! Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey plus Sour Cherry Plum Cordial takes this Old Fashioned cocktail to a new level.Ingredients
Serves 1
2 oz (60 ml) Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
½ oz (15 ml) Sour Cherry & Plum Cordial*
3 to 5 dashes plum bitters
1 lemon twist, dried plum or fresh plum slice, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with lemon twist, dried plum or fresh plum slice.
- *To make Sour Cherry & Plum Cordial, add 2 cups (500 ml) each chopped fresh plums, pitted dark cherries and brown sugar to a saucepan along with juice of 1 lemon and ½ tbsp (7.5 ml) malic acid (optional). Bring to a boil over medium heat until reduced to syrup consistency, about 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring to desired consistency. Remove from heat, strain off fruit and allow to cool before using. Will keep in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 3 cups (750 ml).
Featuring
Coastal Collins
Keep it local with the Coastal Collins which highlights the characteristics of the spirit. Complimented with a little sea salted honey cordial, and fresh ginger then finished with soda and a lemon twist. The overall profile will be both savoury and fresh, perfect for seaside sipping!Ingredients
Serves 1
2 coins fresh ginger (about 1-in/ 2.5 cm each), peeled and sliced
1½ oz (45 ml) Shelter Point Single Malt Whisky
½ oz (15 ml) Sea Salt Honey Syrup*
¾ oz (22 ml) lemon juice
2 oz (60 ml) soda water
1 lemon peel, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle fresh ginger, then combine whisky, Sea Salt Honey Syrup and lemon juice. Add cubed ice, shake gently then strain into a collins glass. Top with soda water before filling the glass with cubed ice. Garnish with a lemon peel expressed over surface of the cocktail.
- *To make Sea Salt Honey Syrup, in a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup (80 ml) boiled water, ⅔ cup (160 ml) honey and ½ tsp (2.5 ml) sea salt. Stir to mix then transfer to a sealed container and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes 1 cup (250 ml).
Featuring
Peach Tart
How could one say no to celebrating Canada Day in style with a cocktail like the Peach Tart! Highlighting Canadian whisky with a peachy twist. This sour-style cocktail is sure to delight whisky drinkers and sour connoisseurs alike!Ingredients
Serves 1
lemon wedge, for rimming glass
crumbled ginger cookie, for rimming glass
1 egg white
2 oz (60 ml) Crown Royal Peach Whisky
½ oz (15 ml) Rich Demerara Syrup*
¾ oz (22 ml) lemon juice
Instructions
- Moisten outer rim of a chilled cocktail coupe glass with a lemon wedge and rim glass with crumbled ginger cookie. In a cocktail shaker, combine egg white, whisky, Rich Demerara Syrup and lemon juice. Shake without ice to emulsify ingredients. Fill cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously, then fine strain into prepared cocktail coupe glass.
- * To make Rich Demerara Syrup, in a small saucepan, combine 1 cup (250 ml) demerara sugar with ½ cup (125 ml) water. Simmer and stir to dissolve. Do not boil. Transfer to a clean, sealed bottle and store in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Makes 6 oz (180 ml).