Tis Hallowe’en, And in this brew, The witch will stir, Good luck for you!
Are you brave enough to drink The Witch’s Heart? Here’s the perfect easy-to-make whimsical Halloween cocktail or for any themed party for that matter!
My husband and I have a love-hate relationship with the concept of horror, in that, he loves it and I hate it. I’m the kind of girl who has always believed in ghosts and he is the kind of guy who gleefully uses this knowledge to scare the crap out of me whenever he can. Of course my logical mind tells me that ghosts aren’t real, the dead is just that – dead, but it has never been able to drown out that little voice in my head which tells me that the inexplicable, the ghosts, the spirits, the demons, the invisible that lurk around dark corners, are always full of menace.
Witches, monsters, vampires (even the namby-pamby, sparkling in the sun kind) and werewolves on the other hand, have got nothing on me! I will hunt them down and kick their collective ass. And that’s precisely how this dark magical potion, The Witch’s Heart came to be!
If you love shimmery Cocktails, then you will LOVE this Color Changing Shimmery Cocktail – The Phoenix! It’s a Gin and Elderflower cocktail that magically changes color! (No food coloring and the spirit is ready overnight).
This year I’m remembering the dead with this beautiful Halloween cocktail that’s sure to impress everyone. And since kids aren’t the only ones who should get to enjoy chocolate this Halloween, I’ll be pairing this with a whole bag of chocolate too!
I was also partly inspired to make this Halloween cocktail by the TV show – Once Upon A Time. The show almost always depicts potions and magic spells in swirls of shimmering light and smoke. And of course who can forget Regina’s (when she used to be evil!) fondness for ripping out hearts! The result was the combination of homemade Blackberry shimmery Liqueur (purple shimmery liqueur). Apple brandy (or Apple vodka) & Grenadine and voilà – The Witch’s Heart Cocktail!
You guys are going to love this. It’s so simple to make and you can adapt it to your taste absolutely any way you want. Plus it looks so gorgeous you could make this for any kind of themed party too! I have made this cocktail using Viniq as well, and the flavor profile does change when you use Viniq as opposed to Blackberry liqueur (you can make original Viniq or flavored Viniq at home too!). Every time I walk past the liqueur section in the store, I linger a little longer in front of the Viniq. And every time, I pick it up, give it a couple of swirls to mix it and then put it back. 🙂
That beautiful purple colour with the shimmery liquid just calls out to me. It’s what inspired me to create my own version at home, and create Purple Blackberry shimmery liqueur right at home. It looks so mesmerizing, it’s the perfect witch’s brew!
You can make this with Viniq, if you prefer. However, the flavor of the cocktail will change with Viniq. Plus, I am aware that not everyone has access to Viniq. So I came up with this neat little trick to make your own shimmery liqueur or homemade Viniq, in ANY color you want!! You can check out how to make your own shimmery liqueur right here!
An optional choice would be to mix in some strained raspberry or strawberry puree. That could really kick up those flavours too.
The blackberry liqueur is delicious and sweet on its own, so paired with that, the apple brandy gives it even more of a fruity flavour. But you can pair it with any kind of flavoured vodka that you like, to give it that extra boost of flavour.
I’m no mixologist, but this was so easy to put together and the flavours work beautifully. What I love the most though is how this Halloween cocktail looks. The shimmery purple with the “witch’s heart” at the bottom is just so elegant. And eerie.
RECIPE VIDEO
Looking for more recipes?Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram.
The Witch's Heart - Halloween Cocktail
Ingredients:
Blackberry shimmery liqueur (will make about 1 cup)
- 1 cup vodka
- 6 blackberries Fresh or frozen is fine
- 4 tsbp simple syrup
- ⅛ tsp purple or pearl luster dust
Cocktail (for one)
- 1 jigger apple brandy or apple vodka chilled
- 2 jiggers (or to top up) Homemade Blackberry Shimmery Liqueur chilled
- 1 tsp grenadine
- Powdered dry ice optional
- Martini glass to serve
Instructions:
Blackberry shimmery liqueur
- Place the vodka in a glass jar (with a tight fitting lid).1 cup vodka
- Add the blackberries to the vodka. Close the lid and let it infuse for up to 1 week for best results (at least 3 days).6 blackberries
- INFUSE WITH SOUS VIDE - Set up the sous vide to 130°F / 54°C. Make sure that the jars with the vodka and blackberries are closed properly. Submerge the jar in the water (i.e. make sure it's covered with water). Allow the jar to infuse for about 2 hours. Remove from the sous vide and allow to cool down before using / storage.
- Strain the infused vodka into a different jar THROUGH A CHEESECLOTH LINED SIEVE and discard the blackberries. DO NOT PUSH THE BLACKBERRIES THROUGH THE SIEVE. The vodka should be purple with good clarity (no cloudiness).
- Add enough simple syrup to make it sweet to your liking. I prefer 3 - 4 tbsp per 1 cup of vodka.4 tsbp simple syrup
- Add about ⅛ tsp (or even less) of the purple luster dust or peal luster dust and mix to combine. The liqueur should have a shimmer when stirred. Add a pinch more if you like, but don't add too much.⅛ tsp purple or pearl luster dust
Witch's heart cocktail
- Add about 1/2 - 1 tsp of powdered dry ice to the bottom of the glass (optional).Powdered dry ice
- Place the apple brandy and purple shimmery liqueur in a shaker. Add 1 ice cube and shake for a few seconds to chill the drink. Strain the drink into a martini glass. Top up with more purple shimmery liqueur if necessary.1 jigger apple brandy or apple vodka, 2 jiggers (or to top up) Homemade Blackberry Shimmery Liqueur, Martini glass to serve
- Pour 1 tsp of grenadine syrup, about an inch from the surface of the drink - the grenadine should sink to the bottom, creating a "bleeding" effect.1 tsp grenadine
- Add about 1/2 tsp of powdered dry ice on top and serve with a stirrer, so that your guests can stir the "potion" to create that shimmery, smoky effect.Powdered dry ice
Tips & Tricks
Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
And the dry ice gives it that final spooky touch. This is optional (though highly recommended if you’re going all Halloween on this one), but if you do use dry ice remember to ADD COMPLETELY CRUSHED DRY ICE ONLY. Just crush the dry ice (to a powder) and add a little to the bottom of your cocktail glass to give it that spooky smoky effect when you pour the drink, and maybe add another touch of powdered dry ice after that for a smoky effect that lasts just a little bit longer. You don’t want to swallow bits of dry ice though, so the powdered dry ice “melts” much faster.
So remember this Halloween,
The witch is brewing a magic spell,
It’s Halloween night and monsters dwell,
Her pot is boiling and many spells she will weave,
To cast them on all the children on Halloween eve.
– Joe
MORE HALLOWEEN RECIPES
THE PHOENIX COCKTAIL – SHIMMERY COLOR CHANGING GIN COCKTAIL
ALL NATURAL MAGICAL GALAXY LEMONADE
BLOODY RED VELVET HOT CHOCOLATE
BROWNIE BOTTOMED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
Kathy says
Loved this and it was delicious! The only think was by blackberry simple syrup didn’t get as purple as yours. But it was still an awesome cocktail!
lakemama says
Is this super sweet? Can’t handle super sweet martinis
elaine says
helloo. where did you get the little potion bottles??
Dini says
Hi Elaine
I got the little round bottle from a thrift shop! 🙂 It definitely is very cute!
The swing top bottles were bought from Amazon.
I hope that helps!
Angie Haney says
Trying recipe on Halloween
Hannah says
I have some friends who can’t have anything apple, or there an alternative to the apple brandy or apple vodka that you would recommend?
Dini says
Hi Hannah
You could change the cocktail to lemon and blackberry cocktail and use strained lemon juice and regular brandy instead.
I haven’t tried it myself though, so you may need to adjust the sweetness level to your preference.
Hope that helps!
Cait says
Do you think I could modify this to create it as a large batch?
Dini says
Hi Cait
The base of the cocktail can be made in a large batch, but the grenadine has to be added individually to create the “heart” effect.
I hope that helps
Michele says
Can’t wait to try this one!!
Elizabeth Ortiz says
Does adding the viniq make it taste sweeter instead of a homemade sparkling liqueur?
Gail says
I want to try this I’m new to this!
Michelle says
I made the witch’s heart last Halloween and it was a hit!
I have a video but don’t see how I can upload it. The drink was beautiful, tasty and potent. Yum!
Theresa says
I know I’m late to the game here, but I just came across this on Google and I’m considering making it for my upcoming Halloween party. However, I’d like to see if you might be able to change the ingredient quantities so that I could turn this into a larger portion – say a punch for instance? Do you think that would work, and if so, might you be able to help me adjust the ingredient amounts?? That would be really cool! Thanks!
Dini says
Hi Theresa
I’m not sure how to convert this into a punch recipe, unfortunately. Since this is for 1 cocktail, you could try multiplying the quantity to match however many people you want to serve, BUT I feel that might too strong as a punch.
AZMA says
I made all the liqueurs and grenadine for Halloween with a friend. We had tons of fun playing with it and the cocktail was delicious! Love the shimmer and I put a small chunk if dry ice in it to watch it boil and smoke. Fun! Thank you so much for sharing! I’d upload a short video if I could, it was a blast!
Dotsy says
If you use the white moscato instead – do you still add the grenadine?
Thank you – I am so excited to try this for my Pokéno party!
Dini says
Hi Dotsy,
I can’t say for sure, because I haven’t made a moscato cocktail with grenadine. The grenadine might make the cocktail too sweet, but it’s a personal preference!
FandomEats says
Wow! This is amazing. Saving for later.
Pooja P. says
Where do you get the crushed dry ice from?
Dini says
Hi Pooja!
Where I live, I can get dry ice as a block or as pellets from certain grocery/department stores. I put the ice in a Lewis bag and crush the ice with a mallet. I always wear gloves or use tongs when handling dry ice too.
Hope that helps! I have included all the information in the recipe too! 🙂
Pooja P. says
Thanks for the reply and thank you for posting such a cool cocktail idea. Love this and all the creative ideas you have.
Kaci says
What a FUN post!!! I am so so so obsessed with this cocktail!! A++++++ for creativity!!!
Cassidy says
Hey there! Where did you buy your dry ice? I’m looking all over the place and having difficulty finding anything. Which brand did you use?
Dini says
Hi Cassidy!
I googles to find out my local ice and dry ice supplier and found out where they sell ice from – for me, it was our local hy vee supermarket. Since it’s a local brand that I used, it probably won’t be of much use to you. I would recommend finding out if there is a local ice / dry ice supplier in your area and where they sell ice! 🙂 I hope that helps!
Becky says
Is the recipe for the butterscotch flavor available now? I didn’t find it in the search.
Dini says
Hi Becky! The butterscotch recipe is ready to go, but I haven’t published it yet! I will let you know here, when it does go live! 😀
Phoebe Hendricks says
I love the effect that the dry ice gives to this gorgeous drink!
Alina | Cooking Journey Blog says
This cocktail looks amazing! Such a beautiful purple color, and my favorite blackberries are there 🙂 Thanks for adding Shimmery Liqueur recipe, too.
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Love this cocktail!! I gotta make these this Halloween!!!
Amanda says
This looks like so much fun to make! I will definitely be making this at my halloween party this year!
PJ says
I’m wondering if it’s safe to consume the crushed dry ice? Everything I’ve been able to find suggests that it isn’t to be ingested.
Dini says
Hi PJ!
You are correct! Never eat dry ice! I have noted in my post to NOT EAT the dry ice – that’s why I crush it into a powder before adding it, since then it melts much faster and you don’t have to wait too long before enjoying this cocktail 🙂 You don’t want to add chunks of dry ie to this (if you use dry ice at all). For this cocktail, the dry ice is to just give it a spooky touch.
PJ says
Hi Dini – I’m sorry to be so dense, but if the crushed dry ice melts into the drink, won’t that amount to consuming it? Am I not understanding how the ice is being used? It’s such a beautiful touch I don’t want to omit it if I’m missing something here. Thanks!
Dini says
No Problem PJ! It’s a good question!
Dry ice is the solid form of Carbon Dioxide. When dry ice is warmed up, it never turns into liquid – only to its gas state (just a science FYI – this is called Sublimation). So, when dry ice is added to the drink (which is a warm environment for the dry ice), it just evaporates back into carbon dioxide. So it doesn’t actually ever mix with the drink like normal ice.
The smoke you see, is just the “ice” turning into gas and evaporating away. It doesn’t add anything apart from making the drink cold, and the smoky effect. 🙂
I hope that makes sense!
PJ says
Dini thank you SO MUCH for this great explanation! It does make sense and I can’t wait to try this gorgeous cocktail…with the dry ice!!! Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Dini says
My pleasure PJ! I’m glad that made sense and thank you for visiting my blog 🙂 I hope you love the cocktail as much as I did – and if you can’t find Viniq, you can make the shimmery alcohol at home too!
Joyce says
Is the dry ice safe to consume?
Dini says
Hi Joyce, As mentioned in the recipe and post, you shouldn’t consume dry ice, or consume the drink while you can still see the “smoke” coming out of it. I ONLY use crushed dry ice, so that it “melts” and evaporates faster. Once the smoke disappears (in less than a minute with a little crushed dry ice), the dry ice is no longer there in the drink in any form, and it’s safe to consume. Hope that helps!
Sandie Cole says
Do not, it will burn the hell outta you!
Dini says
I agree Sandie! 🙂 That’s why I noted to PJ and in the post to NEVER eat dry ice, but to wait till it’s melted (which is why you crush them into a powder so they melt faster). You should NEVER swallow solid dry ice!!
Sylvia says
This is a nice addition for halloween.
Rosanna says
Stunning photography and a beautiful cocktail!
Lindy says
WOW INDEED! This really is impressive. I hadn’t heard of Viniq but will watch for it.
A perfect Fiesta Friday contribution. Thanks for bringing it along.
Lindy – FF co-host!
Theresa Miller says
GORGEOUS!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I am totally swooning over this gorgeous libation! This is PERFECT for halloween! Pinned! Cheers and thanks for sharing! 😉
Diane says
Stunning drink! I loved reading this post. Fun! The dry ice pics are absolutely amazing. Pinning!
Kaila (GF Life 24/7) says
I’m completely with you on the horror thing. I don’t believe any of it, and I still don’t enjoy it. Once agin, this is a beautiful cocktail. My friend will love this at Halloween! Happy FF, and I hope you have a fun-filled weekend ahead. 🙂
Tammy Renea @SanPasqualsKitchen says
That’s just cool.
Ili says
Now this is a Halloween for adults! Cheers!
Stephanie | The Foodie and The Fix says
Ohmagoodness. First of all, these pictures are amazing. Second of all, I can’t wait to try this delicious-sounding cocktail!
Jay says
Wow, so much creativity. Have to try this.
Cakespy says
This is amazing – even cooler than the Flaming Moe from the Simpsons!! I love the whimsy and tipsy deliciousness. 🙂
Lily says
This is the coolest cocktail EVER! It amazes me how you mix science with yummy food and drinks. Really awesome Dini:)
Julie is Hostess At Heart says
This is awesome Dini! Did you crush your own dry Ice? I’ve never worked with it but my curiosity bug is working overtime. I’m with you on the creep thing. John and the kids loved the haunted houses. I happily stayed home, warm and ghoul free.