The last trick-or-treaters have disappeared into the darkness. Jack-o’-lanterns flicker on front porches, their grinning faces casting crooked shadows across fallen leaves, while a cold autumn wind rattles bare branches overhead. Somewhere in the distance, a screen door creaks. Somewhere closer, something skitters unseen through the night.
It’s the sort of evening when every rustle sounds suspicious and every silken thread stretched across a garden path seems to have appeared by magic. This creepy evening, when the veil between the ordinary and the extraordinary feels just a little thinner than usual, is perfect for a Spider Bite cocktail.
Yet the only thing remotely scary about this spooktacular drink is the fangtastic ease with which it goes down. Rich, creamy, and decadent, this is a grown-up milkshake with delicious I scream, plenty of boos, and one hell of a bite. It glides down so effortlessly that by the time you’ve reached the bottom of the glass, you may find yourself contemplating a second—and that’s when the real horror begins.
One too many and you’ll find yourself telling ghost stories with complete conviction, certain you heard footsteps in the attic and absolutely positive that portrait on the wall just moved.
Fortunately, unlike most things that go bump in the night, this cocktail is frighteningly easy to make. Even the delightfully eerie chocolate spiderweb adorning the glass requires far less dark magic than you might imagine.
Spider Bite
- vanilla ice cream, one scoop
- coffee liqueur, one shot
- Irish cream, one shot
- vodka, half a shot
- Pipe the web onto a martini glass (instructions below)
- Blitz all the ingredients in a blender and pour into a glass with chocolate spiderweb.
- Makes on serving but easily doubles, triples etc.
For the web melt several ounces of chocolate and put it into a small ziplock bag. Snip a tiny little piece off one corner of the bag to pipe through (or use a piping bag). Holding the martini glass in one hand, tilted slightly, pipe a spiral onto the side. It can feel pretty awkward at first and if you are not used to piping try practicing on a flat surface.
Once you’ve piped the spiral, take a toothpick or sharp knife and drag it several times through the chocolate starting at the centre and moving to the outside. I found that the web looked better if I kept the circles and lines pretty close together, but I promise, even a clumsy attempt looks pretty good and has the desired effect. Once you’ve finished, place the glass in the freezer for a few minutes until the chocolate has set.