Raging Grasshopper – A Dessert for the Holidays

December 11, 2014 – Watching Rob Newhouse create a Raging Grasshopper is like watching a Michelin-starred chef delicately plate his signature dish. The amiable mixologist doesn’t just dream up amazing cocktails. He turns his talents to converting cocktail recipes into equally amazing desserts.

Rob is the popular mixologist at Fat’s Asia Bistro in Folsom, California who we interviewed November 21 http://wineandspirits.com/rob-newhouse-mixes-it-up-at-folsom-restaurant/. Here’s another creation that we found not only intriguing but incredibly delicious.

The Raging Grasshopper can be made ahead and kept in the freezer until ready to serve. Here’s what you need for 6-8 servings:

1 oz Vanilla Vodka
½ oz Crème de Cocoa light
½ oz Crème de Menthe dark
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
Half and half – about a cup
Ice

Chocolate sauce
Whipped cream

Put the first six ingredients in the blender and give it a whirl.

Here are serving tips from Rob:

Buy very small plastic Champagne coupes or glasses at a dollar store. If you happen to have your grandmother’s sherry glasses, they would work well. Look for something around 3 oz capacity. Using a bottle you can squeeze, decorate the inside of the glass with a ribbon of chocolate. The photo shows how. Rob used a large squeezable bottle, the kind used for ketchup or mustard. We suggest buying a plastic bottle for applying hair color at the beauty supply store. Very inexpensive and you can see how much chocolate sauce is in it.

Fill each glass with the drink leaving room for the whipped cream topping. Put the desserts in the freezer.

When ready to serve, top with whipped cream and decorate with a swirl of chocolate sauce. You could add a couple of cranberries, tiny candy canes or broken or crushed candy canes. Go easy on the garnish as these are very small servings. We think Raging Grasshopper would be a super summertime dessert, too, topped with a single raspberry or small strawberry and a mint leaf.

We can assure you this dessert will impress your guests, it isn’t too heavy or too alcoholic, but is sure to get a chorus of ooohs and ahhhs.