Whisky Recipes and Festive Cocktails

A Chocolate Bundt with LARK Whisky Salted Caramel

RECIPE BY REBECCA LAUREN CONIGLIO

An absolute crowd pleaser, and one that’s been a huge hit with the LARK team! This Chocolate Bundt cake is elevated even further with a rich LARK Christmas Cask salted caramel sauce. A super moist, rich 3-tiered cake that’s sure to delight all the chocolate lovers out there!

CHOCOLATE BUNDT INGREDIENTS
227 g unsalted butter (softened)
200 g caster sugar
110 g brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup whole buttermilk
315 g flour
45 g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract

LARK WHISKY SALTED CARAMEL INGREDIENTS
225g caster sugar
90 g cubed butter
120 ml cream
30 ml LARK Christmas Cask Whisky
2 tsp Maldon Salt Flakes

CHOCOLATE BUNDT METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 160C
2. Prepare your Bundt Pan. I personally recommend baking spray, topped with cocoa powder for a chocolate Bundt.
3. Beat the butters & both sugars on medium speed in a stand mixer. Ensure to scrape the sides of the bowl to get an even mix.
4. Add the eggs individually, beating well after each addition
5. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda & salt)
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients and buttermilk into the butter mixture, alternating between the two until fully combined.
7. Stir in the Vanilla
8. Pour the mixture into your desired Bundt Pan
9. Place in the oven for 20-25 Minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
10. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove, and continue to cool.

LARK WHISKY SALTED CARAMEL METHOD
1. Place a deep pot over low heat.
2. Add the sugar and allow it to start to melt, continue to stir the unmelted sugar in.
3. Repeat this until the sugar is liquid and begins to turn an amber colour.
4. Whilst your sugar is caramelising, gently heat the cream in a suitable bowl in the microwave for 2 mins on high, or until hot.
5. Once the caramel is an amber colour and the sugar has completely dissolved, remove from the heat.

LARK Whisky Affogato with Butterscotch Sauce

RECIPE BY REBECCA LAUREN CONIGLIO

A dessert or a drink? Whatever your belief, we believe an affogato is the perfect Christmas table addition - a great way to enjoy a dessert, coffee, and an after-dinner drink all in one.

30ml Espresso Coffee
1 scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream

LARK Whisky Butterscotch Sauce
325 g brown sugar
80 ml light corn syrup
180 g heavy cream
30 ml LARK Christmas Cask Whisky
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp Maldon Salt Flakes
30 g unsalted butter

METHOD

1. Combine the butter, corn syrup, brown sugar & salt in a medium saucepan and place over low heat, continuing to stir until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add cream and allow to simmer until the sauce has thickened (10-12 minutes)
3. Gently stir in the whisky and Vanilla Extract
4. Remove from the heat and allow the sauce to cool in a heatproof jar
To serve
5. The whisky affogato is a deconstructed dessert and one which is best assembled in- situ.
6. We recommend getting all the components ready for your affogato and constructing it with or in front of your guests.

A refreshing summer cocktail

LARK CHRISTMAS HIGH BALL

A fresh and uplifting combination of LARK Symphony No. 1, fresh apple juice and soda water garnished with grated nutmeg.

150ml Fresh Tassie Apple Juice
45ml LARK Symphony No.1
10ml Soda water

Use a cocktail shaker or blender to whip the fresh apple juice until light and fluffy. Fill a tall glass with ice and fill it with whisky and whipped apple juice. Add a splash of soda and garnish with some grated nutmeg.

LARK CHRISTMAS OLD FASHIONED

A deep and aromatic combination of LARK Christmas Cask, tawny port and golden syrup, stirred and served over ice with Christmas shortbread on top.

60ml LARK Christmas Cask
20ml Seppeltsfield tawny port
1 spoonful golden syrup

Stir these ingredients on ice until well combined. Strain into a rocks glass with a large block of ice. Garnish with a small piece of Christmas shortbread.

LARK Whisky & Cherry Glazed Ham

RECIPE BY REBECCA LAUREN CONIGLIO

There's nothing quite like a perfectly glazed Christmas Ham as the Christmas table centrepiece. Add in a LARK whisky and cherry glazing to the mix and it'll become an absolute showstopper!

1 Leg Ham (Bone in)
1 packet of Whole Cloves Dijon Mustard
100 ml LARK Christmas Cask Whisky
150 g brown sugar
120 ml chicken stock
120 ml cherry juice
350 g cherry jam
5cm piece of orange peel

METHOD

1. Combine the ingredients in a saucepan over medium/high heat
2. Simmer until thickened and glossy
3. Preheat the oven to 180C
4. Carefully remove the skin from the leg to shank.
5. Score the skin around the shank in an even diamond pattern.
6. Place a whole clove in the centre of each diamond.
7. Lightly rub the ham with Dijon Mustard.
8. Place the ham in a large oven pan on a wire rack, with a water bath below. Note : If the water bath dries out, continue to add more.
9. Cook the ham for 30 minutes.
10. After 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 160C and continue to bake, basting the ham every 15 minutes in the whisky glaze until dark and glossy (approximately 2 hours)
11. Once removed from the oven, allow to rest.

Whisky Poached Pears & Vanilla Bean Yoghurt

RECIPE BY REBECCA LAUREN CONIGLIO

INGREDIENTS
6 beurre bosc pears
60 ml LARK Symphony No.1 Whisky
1 Vanilla Pod (Skin & Seeds Inside – scrape open)
400 g brown sugar
1 stick cinnamon
4 whole cloves
1 litre water


POACHING METHOD
1. Peel the pears, keeping the stalk intact.
2. Slightly cut the bottom of the pear to allow a flat base for presentation. (2mm)
3. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
4. Gently poach the pears for 20 minutes, turning them gradually to make sure they are fully covered in poaching liquid.
5. Carefully remove the pears & the spices with a slotted spoon. Leave to rest.
6. Continue to cook the poaching liquid on medium/high heat until it thickens to a syrup consistency.

TO SERVE
1. Arrange the vanilla bean yoghurt topped with pears on your desired plate.
2. Drizzle the glaze over the pears and allow to absorb into the yoghurt.

NOTES
1. Pears can be prepared and poached the day before. They will need to refrigerated overnight and brought to room-temperature prior to serving.
2. A great addition is a cinnamon oat crumble on the side. Adds a texture & nice punch to the dessert (let me know if you want this added, it wasn’t photographed in the shoot with the pears though)