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| Orange Creamsicle |
So, things finally fell into place and the perfect summer weekend was approaching. It was my 41st birthday and we were having a few friends over to celebrate, enjoy the river, and lift some libations to the goodness of life. My friend Leia, who you may recall from the entry about the Irish Coffee texted me the following
“I’ve been daydreaming of a cocktail that tastes like a grown up orange creamsicle...Could you mix such a beauty?”
Challenge accepted.
First up. Vanilla Vodka. My preference is Burnett’s. It’s cost effective and tastes great. You may recall how well this worked with the Pineapple Upside Down cake. As I began to research the variations of this type of cocktail I found many recipes recommended using Whipped Cream Vodka. Let’s address this. The essential flavors I recall from enjoying an orange creamsicle as a kid are sweet orange and vanilla. A creamsicle is not sweet orange and whipped cream, it’s sweet orange and vanilla ice cream. So, instead of using Whipped Cream Vodka, I use Vanilla Vodka.
Next, we have Orange Curacao. Curacao is an orange flavored liqueur, a popular variety is Triple Sec. We’ve used Blue Curacao in the Blue Hawaiian. Where Blue Curacao is blue in color, Orange Curacao is, well...orange. So not only are we getting that nice sweet orange flavor, but we’ve brought some color to the mix as well. Color is key in presentation. It prepares the senses and enhances the experience. So, now we have a good combination of spirit and liqueur giving us a nice alcohol profile without being too boozy in it’s flavor. But be forewarned, it will sneak up on you. Yay!
I always find that a great cocktail is a good combination of spirits and fruit juice, especially citrus fruits. So to help add volume, flavor, color, and that citrus zing I use a little bit of Orange Juice. This also helps bring an even more natural orange flavor to the cocktail. And hey, Orange Juice means Vitamin C right? Cuz, that’s healthy???
In addition to the suggestions of using Whipped Cream Vodka, I found another recipe suggestion that I wanted to avoid, the use of Ice Cream. As I stated before, the flavor you get from an orange creamsicle is sweet orange and vanilla. So the natural standout for many people is to use ice cream. This just doesn’t sit right with me. I want a cocktail, not a booze milkshake. However, there is something very satisfying and reminiscent in the sweet, cool, creamy texture you get from ice cream. Therefore, I use Heavy Cream, and a little Simple Syrup.
Before we build, lets talk a bit about glassware. The more I play with cocktails the more I find that the glassware is such a key component in the drink itself. The right glassware can convey so much. In the case of the Pineapple Upside Down Cake we use a Martini Glass, which displays the layering of the pineapple juice and the cherry with the grenadine centered on the bottom. A Pina-Colada is big, bold and celebrational, it looks great in a Hurricane Glass. A Zombie is more about flavor profile and effect, and always looks mysterious in a Tiki Glass. I think you catch what I’m saying. The Orange Creamsicle is fun, it’s a party cocktail. You wanna get out in the sun and just have a good time. A Martini Glass is too sophisticated, and can spill easily. A Rocks Glass, is just too ordinary. For me, I love to use a Collins Glass. It’s easy to hold on to and the tall shape and clarity of the glass really shows off the orange creamy color and texture. It says, “Look what I’m drinking. Yes, I’m having more fun than you!”
Alright, lets build this. Fill your Collins Glass with crushed ice. If you don’t have crushed ice, regular ice will have to do. Now in a shaker with ice add 1 oz Vanilla Vodka, 1 oz Orange Curacao, 1 ½ oz Orange Juice, 1 ½ oz Heavy cream, and ¾ Simple Syrup. Shake till good and cold. Strain over the ice in your Collins Glass. Serve with a speared cherry and a bendy straw. There you have it. The Orange Creamsicle. The taste is truly, as my friend Leia said...“Summer in a glass!” Enjoy!
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Orange Creamsicle
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| Leia says, "It's Summer in a Glass!" |
1 oz Vanilla Vodka
1 oz Orange Curacao
1 ½ oz Orange Juice
1 ½ oz Heavy Cream
¾ Simple Syrup
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Put all ingredients in shaker with ice,
shake & pour in Collins Glass with crushed ice.
garnish with speared cherry and serve with a bendy straw
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