Latino Holiday Favorite Drink: Coquito

The holidays aren’t the same with out a Latino perennial: Coquito. I made some last year and brought a bottle to the office where I work.

We had to wait until after lunch, otherwise we wouldn’t have gotten much done! Some of my officemates tried it for the first time and loved it. It can pack a real punch, but it’s simply delicious and makes a great gift, especially when you’ve been invited somewhere and don’t want to show up empty-handed.  Luckily, it stores well for a long period of time, and the longer it sits the better the flavor!

Coquito (Serves

15 ounces cream of coconut
1/2 quart eggnog
6 ounces evaporated milk
3 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
12.5 ounces rum — dark rum

Instructions

1. Combine cream of coconut, eggnog, and milk in a bowl, then set aside in the refrigerator.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup of water and cinnamon sticks and bring to a soft boil. Let simmer for 5 minutes or until the water browns. Reduce heat to low, slowly add sugar (whisking to help dissolve quickly). Let simmer for 10 minutes or until it reaches a syrupy consistency. Remove from stove and let cool to room temperature.

3. Whisk the yolks in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed. Add the cream of coconut along with the cinnamon syrup and rum. Mix well, then taste. Add more rum as desired.

4. Transfer the drink to a half gallon bottle and refrigerate for an hour (up to a week). If necessary, shake the bottle in order to re-combine the ingredients. Remove the cinnamon sticks before serving.

iFecilidades!