The Story Behind The Broken Column

While we’re certainly not ones to turn our noses up at store-bought hot chocolate mix, there’s a different level of magic that comes from making your own at home. And is there any better way to level up homemade hot cocoa than with a little bit of booze? Ali Martin of The Up & Up sure doesn’t think so.

At the West Village cocktail bar, the Broken Column begins with house-made hot cocoa, a mix of cocoa powder, powdered sugar, powdered creamer, corn starch, and fine salt that, when added to hot water, transforms into something rich, creamy, and indulgent — the perfect base for sweet and spicy additions. Tequila reposado serves as the base of this cocktail, complemented by Alma Tepec, a Oaxacan liqueur made from chiles, and Giffard’s Madagascan vanilla liqueur.

The resulting hot chocolate is layered, with complex notes of nutmeg, vanilla, chile, and a soft vegetal backbone. Topped with a heaping pile of whipped cream and a dusting of a cinnamon-cayenne spice blend, it’s a hot cocoa you’ll want to savor all season long.

Ingredients

1 ounce reposado tequila
1/2 ounce Alma Tepec Licor de Chile Pasilla Mixe
1/4 ounce Giffard Vanille de Madagascar
3 tablespoons Hot Cocoa Mix*
Hot water to fill
Garnish: whipped cream, dusting of cinnamon and cayenne spice mixture (4 parts ground cinnamon, 1 part cayenne)