Smooth like Cocoa Butter Kisses

This cocktail is deceptively simple. Just 4 ingredients with surprising complexity due to a little pre-work: sherry is fat-washed with cocoa butter to impart its chocolatey flavor. Add that to amaro, Campari and Orasella’s own cherry syrup and what results is a cocktail that is light and nuanced enough to welcome in spring. And who isn’t ready for that?

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Smooth like cocoa butter kisses

Serves 1

2 oz cocoa butter washed sherry*
.5 oz fruit forward amaro like Zucca Rabarbaro or Amaro Montenegro
.5 oz Campari
.5 oz Orasella cherry syrup 

Stir all ingredients over ice until chilled. Serve strained over a large ice cube and garnish with an Orasella cherry.

Cocoa Butter Washed Sherry*

500ml sherry (preferably a medium bodied Amontillado or Oloroso)
1/2 cup cocoa butter chips

Melt the cocoa butter in a large bowl over gently boiling water. Once smooth, remove from heat and add the sherry. Fold until it's mixed as best you can, then transfer to a large, wide-mouth, glass container and seal tightly. Give it another good shake and then refrigerate over night. The next day the remaining butter solids should have floated to the top, just cut it into large pieces with a knife and remove them (you can save these for a delicious addition to your morning coffee). Strain the remaining sherry through a fine mesh sieve to remove any additional bits of butter. This can be stored up to 3 months in the refrigerator.