Silver Birch
Konik’s Tail Vodka, Birch Sap, Crème de Cacao, Clarified Cream, Coffee-Walnut Foam, Nutmeg
The Silver Birch is a drink that has been inspired in part by an old love affair with THAT infamous cocktail - White Russian - but also by the fact that Konik’s Tail vodka is filtered through Silver Birch charcoal, giving the spirit an undeniably clean finish. To incorporate the Birch flavour I have used a sap - Birch sap (also called birch water) is the slightly viscous, clear, sugary liquid extracted from Birch trees in a similar way to Maple syrup. It has a silky texture and a mineral-coconutty flavour.
Washing the Konik’s Vodka with heavy cream, enhances the bold creamy characteristics of the vodka whilst adding a big sweet mouthfeel and the coffee walnut foam on top gives the drink it’s unmistakable coffee flavour.
Walnuts are in season in the Autumn and Christmas months - we always have a large bowl of them on a table by the tree with an old nut-cracker for an spur of the moment snack. I wanted to create a drink that brings all these elements together in an interesting and unusual way.
I C E
Large Cube
G L A S S
Old fashioned/large rocks glass
G A R N I S H
Grated Nutmeg
I N G R E D I E N T S
Serves 3-4
Cream Washed Vodka Base:
200ml Koniks Tail Vodka
100ml Birch Water (sap)
50ml Crème de Cacao
100ml Whole Milk, or Cream
12 dashes Coffee Bitters
20ml Lemon Juice
For Walnut ‘Milk’:
200g Walnuts, Raw
400g Water
Pinch Salt
Teaspoon Sunflower Oil
For Coffee Walnut Foam:
4 Egg Whites
50ml Coffee Liqueur
150ml Strong Coffee
200ml Walnut Milk
25ml Simple Syrup (adjust to taste)
2 iSi Cream Chargers
M E T H O D
Cream Washed Base
Add the vodka, birch sap, Crème de Cacao, bitters, and lemon juice into a mixing jug. In a separate container, add the cream or milk. Pour the first mixture over the dairy and leave overnight in the fridge to curdle. The next morning, strain through a coffee filter paper and let drip until all the liquid has passed through. The Clarified Vodka mix will keep in the fridge for a month.
Walnut ‘Milk’
Soak the walnuts in a bowl of warm water for 6 hours. Strain. Then blend all ingredients in a food processor on high until smooth. Pass the processed mixture through a cheese cloth to remove any solids. Store in a sterilised bottle in the fridge for 5 days.
Coffee-Walnut Foam
Add all ingredients to your iSi whipped cream dispenser, charge with the first canister and shake. Charge with the second canister, remove the empty charge and store in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
The Cocktail
Add 100ml of the Clarified Vodka mixture with ice to a rocks glass with ice, stir until thoroughly chilled. Layer the Coffee & Walnut Foam on top of the drink by dispensing from the iSi Whipper. Grate fresh nutmeg over the drink to garnish. Sip & Enjoy!
P A I R W I T H
Sugar walnuts and Chocolatey desserts.
