HAPPY HOUR
Angels and demons
October 31, 2009
Shauna Rempel
TORONTO STAR
Halloween night 2009 also happens to be a Saturday night so there's an extra excuse to enjoy a tipsy treat while handing out candy or having the ghouls over.
These spooky sips are satisfyingly sweet and contain a candy garnish – perfect for All Hallows Eve. Best of all, they're simple to make with ingredients easily found at the LCBO and grocery store.
For the Angeltini, why not make some extra candy apples to snack on? They should keep for at least a week in the fridge – if you can hold out that long. Happy Halloween!
Angeltini
Adapted from a recipe from Proof The Vodka Bar, www.tinyurl.com/proofbar
The candy apples are surprisingly easy to make, even for a first-timer. We used Granny Smith and substituted Splenda to save some calories.
Sugar for rim
2 oz pear vodka
1 oz Sourz Apple Sweet & Sour Liqueur
Splash of Hpnotiq
Ice
2 slices candy apple
Using an apple slice, moisten rim of martini glass and dip onto plate of sugar. Shake alcohol with ice in shaker and strain into glass. Garnish with slices of candy apple arranged in "wings."
For the candy apple:
8 apples
2 cups sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup water
8 drops blue food colouring
Halve and core apples; slice thinly. In a saucepan, mix sugar, corn syrup, and water. Boil, stirring constantly, until temperature reaches 285F on a candy thermometer, or until drops of syrup separate into hard, but not brittle threads in cold water. Remove from heat. Stir in food colouring, Using tongs or a large spoon, dip apple slices in candy mixture, turning and shaking off excess drops. Cool on a lightly greased baking sheet. Makes the equivalent of 8 candy apples.
Demontini
Adapted from a recipe from Proof The Vodka Bar.
6 blackberries
1-1/2 oz vodka
1 oz Chambord
Fresh ice
1 black licorice stick
With a muddler or spoon, muddle blackberries at bottom of martini shaker. Add vodka and Chambord; shake with ice. Strain into martini glass. Garnish with black licorice.
Star-tested by Shauna Rempel
Toronto Star