Coquito
The origins of coquito, a creamy Puerto Rican coconut- and rum-based cocktail, are not fully known. Some say it comes from Spain, and others say it comes from the United States. However, one thing is certain: coquito is a staple of the Puerto Rican holiday menu.
But there’s no reason you can’t serve this as an indulgent after-dinner drink year-round. Most families have their own unique coquito recipes, passed on from generation to generation. For best results, make the coquito one day ahead in order for the flavors to come together. For a nonalcoholic coquito, simply skip the rum. ¡Salud!
Ingredients:
- 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (15 ounce) can coconut cream
- 1 ¼ cups white rum
- Ground cinnamon for garnish
Instructions:
- Combine evaporated milk, ginger, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a small saucepan. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
- Pour the cooled mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Set the cinnamon sticks aside (discard the other solids). Transfer the strained milk to a blender. Add coconut milk, condensed milk, coconut cream and rum. (If you don’t like your drink too strong, start with ¾ cup rum and do a quick taste test before adding the rest.) Blend at medium speed until well blended, about 3 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a glass bottle (this is a great way to repurpose your rum bottles) and toss one of the reserved cinnamon sticks into the bottle to add more flavor. Cover and refrigerate, ideally overnight, for the flavors to come together. Serve cold with a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired.
