Vegan Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cocktail
I’m not going to wax poetic about how this incredible Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Cocktail came to be (it tastes JUST like a Reese’s).
I’m just gonna say this: Self-quarantining paid off with this one, because it was labour-intensive to get it juuuuust right and I had the time to do so.
We’ll make the Peanut Butter Cocktail base first, which acts like the peanut butter filling of a Reese’s.
Ingredients:
.5 oz (14g) creamy peanut butter with NO sugar added (I used Inspired Organics)
2 oz. whiskey (I used Canadian Club, and you CANNOT substitute Bourbon on this one)
.5 oz. light brown sugar syrup (you can find my recipe here)
2 oz. ice
Fluffy Vegan Chocolate Topping (see below)
Combine the peanut butter, whiskey, and light brown sugar syrup in a microwave-safe glass. Heat for 15 seconds, remove from microwave, and whisk the ingredients until smooth. Cool on the counter as you create the Fluffy Vegan Chocolate Topping.
Now we’ll make the Fluffy Vegan Topping, starting by making a whipped aquafaba base (no chocolate to start) that you can customise for future recipes.
Whipped Aquafaba Ingredients:
4oz aquafaba juice (you’ll want regular amount of sodium in this (130MG), so don’t go for low or no sodium. Remember, that the glory of Reese’s is the slight salty/sweet balance of the candy!)
4 tsp granulated sugar
We’re using aquafaba to create the topping, or cooked chickpea (also called Garbanzo beans) liquid. Shake the can of chickpeas well, then open the can and strain the chickpeas (should produce just scant 1 cup liquid). You’ll add the liquid into a KitchenAid stand mixer (or use a hand mixer), add the sugar, and whip for about 3-5 minutes on high. Your whipped aquafaba should look like the image to the right.
You can now separate the batch of whipped aquafaba if you’d like, storing half in your fridge for future recipes (it can last for 2-3 days, and be rewhipped to it’s former glory - see the bottom of this post for ways you can customise the aquafaba), and turn the other half into chocolate topping!
The below recipe is if you want to make your ENTIRE BATCH of whipped aquafaba chocolate!
Fluffy Vegan Chocolate Topping Ingredients:
Whipped Aquafaba (from above)
2 Tbsp + 2 Tsp Cocoa powder (no added sugar, no powdered milk - make sure it’s vegan!)
Whip in the cocoa powder, scraping the bowl several times (all the way to the bottom) to make sure the cocoa is well incorporated. Your chocolate topping should be aromatic and fluffy, with firm peaks.
Now it’s time to construct the drink.
Grab the cooled peanut butter/whiskey combo and pour it into a jar with 2 oz of ice. Stir for 20 seconds, then strain into a martini glass. Take a generous dollop of vegan chocolate topping, and stretch it out over the top of the glass, making sure to seal the edges. If you like more chocolate than peanut butter, go ahead and layer it on thicker!
If you want to get fancy, add dash of cocoa powder to the top.
When sipping, make sure to get an even sip of chocolate foam and peanut butter cocktail, and goodness, these taste just like a Reese’s Easter Egg!
P.S. Your whipped aquafaba can be customised for other drinks! You can reach for no-sodium chickpeas and halve the sugar (or leave it out altogether). You can add other flavouring agents, too, like vanilla powder, maple powder, fine espresso, dehydrated finely ground fruit, etc.
Play around with it and let me know what creations you come up with! Cheers!