Booze & Bake

Story by Lexi Wicks | Photos by Kassandra Eller & Katie Jo Stewart | Design by Katie Jo Stewart

A night in with friends doesn’t have to be limited to game or movie nights. Branch out and have a night of laughs and new recipes with a Booze and Bake!

Drink new cocktails with friends while munching on homemade pastries. It’s a fun way to stay in but feel like a night out.

Blueberry Vodka Cocktails

Ingredients:

Blueberry Simple Syrup • ½ cup blueberries • ½ cup sugar • ½ cup water

Blueberry Vodka Cocktail • 1 cup ice, crushed • 1 ½ ounces vodka, chilled • 4 tablespoons blueberry simple syrup (recipe to the right) • 3 ounces sparkling water, or soda water • 1 squeezed lemon, optional • 4-6 blueberries, for garnish Instructions:

To make Blueberry Simple Syrup: 1. In a medium-sized pan, set over medium-high heat, add blueberries, sugar and water. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. 2. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer for about 15-minutes.

Break up blueberries with the back of a spoon. The syrup should now begin to thicken. 3. Strain into a mason jar and be sure to press on blueberries with the back of your spoon to extract all of the flavors. Discard solids. Use or let it cool completely and store up to 3-months, tightly sealed in the refrigerator.

Makes enough for 4-6 cocktails.

To make your cocktail: 1. Fill an 8-ounce glass with crushed ice 2. In a cocktail shaker, add more crushed ice, blueberry simple syrup, vodka and sparkling water. Shake well and strain into glass. 3. Garnish with blueberries and a squeeze of lemon, if desired.

Blueberry Muffin Beer Loaf Cake

Ingredients: • ¾ cup granulated sugar • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened • 1 large egg • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • ¼ cup buttermilk • 2/3 cup wheat beer • 2 cups cake flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 cup fresh blueberries (for frozen, see note) • 1 cup powdered sugar • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or beer for a larger beer flavor)

Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Fahrenheit. 2. Add sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high until light, fluffy and well combined. 3. Add the egg and vanilla, beat until well combined. 4. Stir in the buttermilk and beer. 5. Stop the mixer, sprinkle with flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until combined. 6. Stir in the blueberries. 7. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake until the top springs back when lightly touched, about 55 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before icing. 8. Stir together the powdered sugar and lemon juice (or beer). Pour over the cake, slice and serve.

For frozen blueberries, rinse well until the water runs clear. Add paper towels to dry, do not stir into batter. Layer loaf pan with 1/4 of the batter, sprinkle with berries, top with more batter, then blueberries, repeat until all the berries and batter have been used. This will avoid smashed berries and a purple cake.

Notes:

Recipe Inspo: http://thebeeroness.com/2016/08/10/ blueberry-muffin-beer-loaf-cake/

Mudslide Cocktail

Ingredients: • 1 oz Bailey’s irish cream • 1 oz Kahlua • 1 oz Vodka • 2 oz Heavy whipping cream • Chocolate sauce (to drizzle)

Instructions:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. 2. Pour the Vodka, Kahlua, Baileys and heavy whipping cream into a cocktail shaker and stir thoroughly. 3. In a separate cup, drizzle chocolate syrup around the edges of the cup. 4. Pour the drink into the empty cup.

Bailey’s Chocolate Pie

Ingredients:

Cookie Crust: • 30 chocolate wafers • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 6 ounces dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips) • 1 cup heavy whipping cream • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar • 2 ounces Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur • 1 cup heavy whipping cream • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar • 2 ounces Bailey’s Irish Cream • Whipped cream topping (optional): • 1 cup heavy whipping cream • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Place the cookie wafers in a gallon-sized plastic baggie, remove excess air and seal. Using a rolling pin, crush cookies into fine crumbs. Pour the crumbs to a medium-sized bowl and mix with melted butter until well-combined. 3. Grease up the pie pan. 4. Pour cookie crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes and let cool completely.

1. While your crust cools, melt chocolate according to package directions (either over low heat on the stove, stirring frequently until melted or in a microwave safe bowl, heating and stirring in 30 second increments until melted). Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip heavy cream and sugar together until the mix becomes thick. Add

Bailey’s and melted chocolate, mix on low-medium speed until well-combined. 3. Pour mixture into cooled pie crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Pie Filling: Instructions:

Cookie Crust:

Pie Filling:

Whipped Cream Topping (optional):

1. In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla, and use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip on high speed until it is thick (usually about 3 minutes). 2. Keep the pie refrigerated until ready to serve, then garnish with whipped cream (adding chocolate curls or shavings makes for a nice presentation). Slice, serve and enjoy!