Halloween Cocktail Time!

For this year's Halloween party cocktails I'm going "ghoulie glam" with sparkling rims on my cocktail glasses made with thinned candy coating or white chocolate tinted with icing colors and sprinkled with Disco Dust (edible glitter) garnished with a wooden staked cherry heart.

 Things you’ll need for the cocktail garnishes:

• Paramount crystal flakes (found at cake supply stores)
• White candy coating or white baking chocolate
• Disco Dust in pink, red or rainbow
• Thick bamboo skewers
• Maraschino cherries
• Martini glasses (or any other beverage glass)

Things you’ll need for the cocktail:

• Blavod black vodka (I found this at BevMo)
• Cranberry juice
• Triple Sec
• Crushed ice to mix

To make the sparkling glass rims

Start by melting a few paramount crystals. They take only about 30 seconds in the microwave. The purpose of the crystals are to thin out the chocolate making it more runny. Add either a couple squares of the white baking chocolate or some candy coating wafers. From here on I’ll also refer to the candy coating as "chocolate." (see photo)

Both chocolates will melt smoother and quicker when added to the melted paramount crystals. Just so you know how easy the crystals will make the chocolate flow, the photo below on the left is the melted chocolate with the tint color only. The tint color alone will seize up both the chocolates. Add the crystals and presto! Like magic, all smooth out beautifully. (see photo)

Take a small spoon (I like to use a baby spoon), a craft brush or place the melted chocolate in an icing bag and place it around the outside top of the glass rim. You might have to pull it down into drip shapes even with the chocolate being runny. It’s just the nature of this white chocolate to want to stay together.

Before the chocolate has set up hard, sprinkle with a like color of Disco Dust (pink chocolate-pink dust; red chocolate-red dust, etc.).

Rainbow Disco Dust can be used on everything. It’s just a clear sparkle and picks up any color. It’s my favorite all-around color but for this project I used pink and red.

Tip: One nice thing about working with chocolate on glass, if you don’t like where the chocolate drips have landed, before they set, you can wipe them away with a paper towel and fill in the gaps with more chocolate. It’s very forgiving.

Once the chocolate sets, the Disco Dust is also set and the combo basically becomes water proof unless you wash the glass with warm to hot water. Barely any sparkles come off on your lips when you sip which can be good or bad depending on what you’ve got planned for your Halloween amusement.  :)

To make the wooden stake garnish through heart

(Use your imagination here and see photo)

I used thick bamboo skewers I found in my baking junk drawer.

Grab a fresh maraschino cherry "heart" and slip it over the pointed end of the stick. I love how it drips it’s own juice over the red chocolate. (see photo)

To make the drink

Now, we’re ready for the cocktail itself. Have you heard of black vodka?

It’s called Blavod. I found it at BevMo. (see photo)

Black Cosmo (recipe from Blavod)

• 2/3 part Blavod black vodka
• 1/3 part cranberry juice
• Splash of Triple Sec
• Ice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker and go to town and shake your boo-ty. Strain and pour.

Here are more recipes that use Blavod but you can search online and find one that shakes or stirs YOU!

"Boo!"

*Always remember to drink and ride your broom responsibly.

More tips and photos are available on Pink Martinis and Pearls.