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Courtney's Brother – Guest Writer

To the loyal readers of Courtney’s Dessert Blog:

A few weeks ago I posed a challenge to my siblings. We would all come up with a dessert drink and the winner would get top billing in Court’s dessert blog, a prestigious honor filled with full bragging rights. And it is with great pride and enthusiasm that I would like to announce that I am officially the winner of the Thompson Sibling Dessert Drink Challenge.

After being absolutely robbed for first place in Court’s birthday dessert competition a few years ago I’ve felt beaten down and was in despair. It wasn’t like I made this fantastic version of bananas flambé that got beaten out by my oldest sister’s age old family cake that could easily be served at a retirement home. But whatever, I’m not bitter or anything…So, I came into last Friday’s battle ready to get after it. I knew competing against all of my sisters would be a dubious task, but I felt that I needed redemption, and redemption is exactly what I would have.

The stakes of the competition were simple. Each sibling would have to make an adult flavored dessert drink. Aside from that, anything went. Our drinks were graded based on presentation, aroma, texture and taste, straight top chef style. In the week leading into the competition I spent a handful of time researching dessert drinks. I found several recipes I felt would get me competing for the top prize, but none that stood out as clear cut winners. It wasn’t until I was driving home from work that the prized concoction came to me.

If you are unfamiliar with the Thompson sisters, they are a savvy bunch of ladies, and after years and years of devouring gourmet desserts they’ve all got a refined pallet. As competitors, my oldest sis has a knack for getting into the hunt no matter what the competition is, my second oldest sis is as sharp as a tack and can never be counted out. Courtney, my younger sis, as we all know, is practically like a bloodhound when it comes to desserts.

For my drink I began thinking about one of my favorite ice cream flavors, sea salted caramel, and then it hit me while I was stuck in traffic on the 680 listening to some JT. I would combine a scoop of sea salted caramel gelato, add in some milk, and then top it off with Baileys and some caramel liqueur. I know what you’re asking yourself, and yes it’s true, caramel liqueur does exist and can be purchased at a nominal fee at your local BevMo.

At the competition my eldest sis came in strong out of the gates with her drink, “The Angry Leprechaun.” And let me tell you the name says it all. This little doozy will get you feeling good and buzzed with just a single serving! After a couple you may very well feel like tossing on a green hat and pants and start dancing around the room to an Irish jig. What it lacked in flavor it made up for in strength. A pretty nice blend of Jamison and whatever else she had in it.

The Angry Leprechaun
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
1 part Jamisons
2 parts Baileys

Directions
Stir, pour over ice

Court was up next with her drink, “Hot Buttered Rum” and let me just say that I expected a little more out of my baby sister. I mean, Court is a well refined, married woman nowadays. I expected her drink to reflect her new level of calmness and maturity, but wow, her drink very politely put looked like a glass full of dinosaur vomit (I put that in bold so you can really get a visual). Perhaps she should have titled it, “Barney’s Barf.” It was some awful combination of brown sugar and booze. My little pooch Bacardi didn’t even want anything to do with it.

Hot Buttered Rum
Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch salt
Dark rum
Boiling water

Directions
1. In a bowl, cream together butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Refrigerate until almost firm.
2. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture into 12 small mugs.
3. Pour about 3 ounces of rum into each mug (filling about halfway).
4. Top with boiling water (to fill remaining half), stir wall and serve immediately.

I came in next with my delightful beverage which I titled, “Caramel Crush.” A wonderful blend of the ingredients, again listed below, and let me say the judges, aka my parents and my brother-in-law, really took to it. I knew right away I was in the running.

Caramel Crush
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients/Directions
1. Scoop of Sea Salted Caramel Ice Cream
2. Some Milk
3. Rip of Baileys
4. Nip of Caramel Liqueur

My second oldest sis had the evening night cap, and being half drunk at this point, I had no clue where the judge’s heads were at. After a glass or two of wine, my dad is just as likely to start imitating a pirate much less decipher a game winning dessert drink and my mom, who has been on an absolute re-decorating binge at my pad, was probably more concerned researching ways she can make it more bachelorpadish. As it went down, my dear sister came in with not one but two drinks! #teacherspet She made these delightful looking drinks she called the “Boozy Affogato.” One had chocolate ice cream, coffee liqueur and hazelnuts and the other was a mix of vanilla ice cream, Limoncello and macadamia nuts. You go girl! I was sweating it pretty hard after my sister's drinks were brought to the table, but thankfully the taste factor went to me, but wow, she really brought the heat. Amazingly enough she didn’t even come in second! Sorry sukka, better luck next time. Maybe you should have brought an apple for the judges?

Boozy Affogato
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients - Chocolate Shots
3 cups chocolate ice cream
3/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur
Whole hazelnuts

Ingredients - Vanilla Shots
3 cups vanilla ice cream
3/4 cup lemon-flavored liqueur
24 whole macadamia nuts

Directions
1. Place a small scoop of ice cream in each glass. Top with 1 tablespoon liqueur and 2 nuts. Serve immediately.

Overall it was a very enjoyable evening and if you’ve never busted out a dessert drink competition with your family, I’d highly recommend it. Let me just say that my mother is hell bent on having another contest in the near future where she can get in the mix.

To cap off my guest post all I have to say is, Caramel Crush for the win. I hope everybody reading this has a fantastic Turkey Day filled with fun, family and my award winning beverage.

Dessert Fiend