Cocktail of the week: Central Heating

I’ve heard it said that, in years gone by, whippets were not only used for the awful sport of rabbit coursing, but as live hot water bottles, warming their owners’ sheets before bedtime. And so, on a freezing winter’s Tuesday morning, as I typed away in my draughty kitchen, it occurred to me that my own whippet might lie at my feet, radiating some of his lovely velvety body heat to my Nordic sock-clad feet.

Not a bit of it. I can’t blame him – after all, it’s so cold in this kitchen – but it did leave me looking for alternative sources of warmth. So, I developed this “oatnog” (a vegan eggnog of sorts, using oat milk and coconut cream in place of dairy and eggs), which I then spiked with some coffee liqueur, as one does on a Tuesday morning. It slipped down very easily and – whippet, be damned – warmed me from the inside out.

The recipe

For the coffee liqueur I use Patron XO Café tequila, but you can use your own favourite alternative, or simply leave it out for a non-boozy version. Makes 1.

oat milk 250ml
coconut cream 1 tbsp
vanilla bean paste ½ tsp
maple syrup 2 tsp
nutmeg 20-30 gratings
coffee liqueur 15ml
coffee bean to garnish (optional)

Put all the ingredients, except the liqueur and coffee bean, into a small saucepan and place over a low-medium heat, warming it slowly until steaming. Transfer to your favourite mug, add the liqueur (if using), then stir. If you’re garnishing with the coffee bean, simply drop it on top – then enjoy.