I’m not positive what led me to buy a bottle, but when Full Pull offered NV Domaine du Prieure Crème de Cassis de Dijon, I bought one. So there it sits, in my wine rack, and I thought it was time to drink it. I have some larger gatherings coming up, so perhaps one of those will be the best use.
What are your favorite uses for crème de cassis? I know about the ubiquitous kir royale, of course (but would love to know about any variations you like). What are your favorites?
I’ve mixed it into some various chocolate recipes, occasionally into batters, but have made some pretty decadent icings for cakes. It can make them dry a little harder than normal, so not the greatest for leftovers, but served night of it was outstanding. No specific recipe comes to mind, I always just sort of played around with it when the opportunity came up, but Creme de Cassis is sweet and strong like a Port or PX Sherry, so they keep for many many months without much fading.
Kir is with still wine, classically Bourgogne Aligoté, but other similar wines fine also (dry, fresh, some acid).
Kir Royale is with Cremant de Bourgogne or other sparkling wine or champagne.
By the way, to my taste most recipes put way too much cassis - I’ve seen 30ml per glass of wine (155 ml). I take a couple of teaspoons ( so about 10 ml) of cassis and pour it to one side of the glass, I like it not mixed too thoroughly. The layers of colour look good too.
Thank you all for the feedback thus far. The email from Full Pull mentioned having some by itself as an aperitif, along with some cheese. I could see that working, too, akin to how I might enjoy a Port like Matthew mentioned above.
Haven’t had this since college! All I remember is that it make a really ugly color of cocktail.
As to vanilla ice cream, if you’ve never tried it, put a few drops of good quality balsamic vinegar on it. One of those “who ever thought of that?” ideas that is actually really good.
Speaking of Eton Mess, Gordon Ramsay has a great twist on this using Blackberries, lemon curd and lime juice folded into the cream, toasted meringue and topped with lemon zest. It’s really good. Needs a different name though. Harrow Mess? Wykehamist Mess?
Bumping this. I saw a TN in CellarTracker for the bottle of cassis in which the author used some of theirs to make a cocktail I’d never heard of, the Bourbon Renewal (apparently a creation by Jeffrey Morgenthaler). So, I decided to make it and thought it was really great and a nice use for [a little bit of] cassis.
2 oz. Bourbon (I used Wild Turkey 101…very good cocktail Bourbon, IMO, for the meager price)
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. creme de cassis
1/2 oz. simply syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters
Shake, strain into old fashioned glass.
Initially I though I’d pass on the syrup, but it was too sour and needed it. This was like a tart Manhattan, and I really liked it.