Brandy Alexander
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 17.4% ABV ∙
The Brandy Alexander is a shaken dessert cocktail of cognac, brown and white crème de cacao, and cream, served up in a coupe.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Cognac 50 mlBrown crème de cacao 15 mlWhite Crème de Cacao 15 mlSingle cream/half-and-half 30 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and discard
- Garnish with grated nutmeg
Tips
- Use cream straight from the fridge and shake hard for a full 15 seconds; cut the shake short and the drink comes out thin.
- Grate the nutmeg fresh over the top just before serving; pre-ground nutmeg has lost most of its aroma.
History
The Brandy Alexander is a brandy-based variation of the earlier Alexander, a gin, crème de cacao, and cream drink that first appeared in print in 1914 and was recorded in Hugo Ensslin's Recipes for Mixed Drinks (1916). The swap of brandy for gin first appeared in print around 1916. Harry Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book and William J. Tarling's 1937 Café Royal Cocktail Book later printed it alongside the gin version.
Later, unverified stories link the brandy version to the 1922 London wedding of Princess Mary and Viscount Lascelles, to critic Alexander Woollcott, who claimed it was named for him, or to Russian tsar Alexander II. The original Alexander's origin is disputed as well: one widely repeated but poorly documented story credits bartender Troy Alexander of the New York restaurant Rector's with inventing it.
FAQ
What are the ingredients in a Brandy Alexander?
Cognac (50 ml), brown and white crème de cacao (15 ml each), and single cream or half-and-half (30 ml). The two cacao liqueurs give a fuller chocolate flavor than a single crème de cacao would.
How do you make a Brandy Alexander?
Shake cognac, brown and white crème de cacao, and cream hard with ice until well chilled and slightly frothy, then fine-strain into a chilled coupe. Express a lemon twist over the top and discard it, then dust with freshly grated nutmeg.
Is a Brandy Alexander shaken or stirred?
Shaken, and hard, for a full 15 seconds. The cream has to whip and blend with the cognac and liqueurs; stirred or under-shaken, the drink comes out thin.
What glass is a Brandy Alexander served in?
A coupe glass, served up with no ice and finished with grated nutmeg.
What is the best brandy to use in a Brandy Alexander?
Cognac is the standard choice, since its dried-fruit and oak notes hold up against the chocolate and cream.
What is a substitute for crème de cacao in a Brandy Alexander?
A chocolate liqueur can stand in, though it is usually sweeter and less clean-tasting. This recipe uses both brown and white crème de cacao, so if you replace only one, the other still carries the cacao flavor.
What is the difference between a White Russian and a Brandy Alexander?
The spirit and the liqueur. A White Russian is vodka and coffee liqueur with cream, poured over ice in a rocks glass. A Brandy Alexander is cognac and two crème de cacaos with cream, shaken and strained into a coupe.
