MxMo LV: Some Like it Hot - Caramel Apple Toddy #2

Time once again for Mixology Monday, brought to us this month by Nancy The Backyard Bartender. Nancy proffers "Some like it Hot" as our theme for this go 'round. She calls for one simple rule: "make anything you want to, as long as it's served hot." Simple enough. Like last month's "See You on the Flipside" MxMo, I initially had designs to finally try my hand at making a Yard of Flannel, or more likely including rum, but like last month time grew short and my resolve proved insufficient, so I'm going with a simple, but tasty, Toddy variation. To begin I began by rereading the relevant chapter on Toddies, Slings, etc in Dave Wondrich's tome Imbibe!, which proved just as enlightening as the first time I read it. I had some Caramel Syrup I had whipped up a while back in the fridge, so set upon that to make a toddy using it and Laird's Straight Apple Brandy. I threw some Bénédictine in there as well just to add a little spice to the mix.

Caramel Apple Toddy #2

• 2 oz Laird's Straight Apple Brandy
• ¼ oz Bénédictine
• ½ oz Caramel Syrup*
• 3½ oz hot water
• cinnamon stick to stir and garnish

*For the Caramel Syrup, make a caramel by constantly stirring sugar in a heavy bottomed pot over med-high heat until it melts and then turns a deep caramel color. I like to add a dash of corn syrup as a cheat because I find the slightly different sugar molecule helps keep the sugar from crystallizing or otherwise acting up. Some recipes call for adding water, but that just makes you stir longer until the water evaporates so I don't do that. Once you get to the caramel stage add an equal volume (as the original sugar) of water and dissolve, the bottle and store in fridge.

I added the #2 because I noted "Caramel Apple Toddy" had been used in a previous MxMo back in 2007, and really didn't have a better idea for a name for mine. Despite the high water content, it's rich from the caramelized sugar and Bénédictine, reminiscent of a light mulled apple cider in some ways; it should do the trick to warm you up.

Even though I did not get around to fashioning a loggerhead with which to flash heat some ale for my drink, I find this a good opportunity to belatedly tell you who to look to to see how it should be done, for I witnessed the method back in 2009. I told you about and mentioned I would be attending the FCI Holiday Cocktail Course, but ashamedly neglected to blog about the excellent event. In any case, look no further than Dave Arnold and his Red Hot Poker(s) for the one true way. Read the articles at those links, and this is what I would have done had I the time:

Look at the fire:

UPDATE: Nancy has put up the roundup post, head over there to check out all the drinks while they're hot.