I decided to finish up my sort of Russian-inspired week with a twist on the classic White Russian cocktail. Just like Russian dressing, a white Russian isn’t Russian. Surprised? Me neither. This version is made with a spiced coffee syrup that sounds amazing (I love flavored coffee). Let’s find out if this recipe lives up to my expectations.
Dirty Chai White Russian is a soul-warming holiday drink everyone will love. Classic White Russian spiced up with homemade coffee and chai syrup.
The Ingredients
Most of the ingredients for this cocktail recipe are pantry staples or easy to find at your local grocery store. I had everything except the heavy cream on hand, even the chai tea. I’m sure it’s not a revelation that the vodka and Kahlua were the most expensive items on the list. But fear not–there are still ways to save a few bucks on this cocktail. I tend to buy 375ml bottles, which are half the size of regular bottles. Additionally, good vodka is available at many price points, so don’t feel like you have to buy the most expensive brand out there. Buy the best you can afford.
The Process
This White Russian recipe is made in 2 parts. First, the dirty chai syrup is made by steeping chai teabags in strong, hot coffee. It’s then sweetened with honey or maple syrup (I used honey) and flavored with vanilla extract. The smell is incredible! Once the syrup is cool, it’s time to mix up your cocktail. This part was even easier than the last, and the cream looks beautiful as you swirl it into the rest of the ingredients.
Most of the instructions are very straightforward, but there aren’t any quantities for the coffee grounds. I used 6 tablespoons of ground coffee in 2 1/2 cups of water and let it brew in my French press for 4 minutes. I got just over 2 cups of very strong coffee out of that. While the tea was steeping, I kept the coffee warm on the stove using a very low setting to keep it from burning.
The time listed for this recipe is 15 minutes, but mine took a bit longer to make. The chai syrup alone took 22 minutes, though the cocktail only took 2 minutes. Slightly longer than stated, but worth it.
