"Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination."... I bet you just sang that instead of reading it didn't you? Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory is one of my favorite movies. In fact I watched it just the other week. A world of magical sweetness and delight. Who can forget when the giant door opens into that amazing room . It's just heaven. I've always had a big sweet tooth. Now that I'm an adult I can combine my love of sweets and dessert with a grownup boozy kick! I had a lot of fun creating this dessert cocktail. The flavor profile is made up of some of my favorite confections.

I start my cocktail with Marie Brizard Chocolat Royal Liqueur. Velvety cocoa with a touch of vanilla and caramel. Like an adult liquid chocolate bar. I've never met a chocolate that I didn't like! So delicious ! It reminds me of the chocolate river in the movie!

Next I added Lejay Creme De Cassis. The divine flavor and gorgeous color of black currants. Sweet, dark and rich. Like the filling in an amazing jelly donut.

I wanted to add a nutty richness to my cocktail. I added some Torani hazlenut syrup and also pieces of dark chocolate candy bark with almonds. Plus a bit of pink himalayan sea salt. The sea salt acutally brings out the sweet flavors of the cocktail.

When I have dessert I love tea. I especially love earl grey.It goes so well with all sorts of desserts. But instead of using tea I aded 18.21 Earl Grey Bitters. The delicious bergamot flavor with a touch of vanilla in these wonderful bitters are the perfect complement to my cocktail. Plus the aroma is just heavenly!

I adore buttercream flowers. I always ask for the piece of cake with the flower on it at parties but they don't really go in a cocktail. So instead I added half an half for creamy smoothness and garnished my cocktail with dried rosebuds. I then rimmed the glass with pink, gold and white sugar crystals for a pop of color.

So look into the world of my creation and have a Pure Imagination. Cover it in chocolate,mix it with love ( and a bit of booze) and make the world taste good. Cheers!

PURE IMAGINATION

2 oz of Marie Brizard Chocolat Royal Liqueur

1 oz Lejay Creme De Cassis

1/2 oz of Torani Hazlenut Syrup

1 oz half and half

2 small pieces of dark chocolate almond bark

2 dashes of 18.21 Early Grey Bitters

1 pinch Himalayan Sea Salt

5-7 small dried rosebuds - Garnish

Gold, Pink and White Sugar Crystals- garnish

Cocktail Glass ( Coupe)

Rim the cocktail glass in hazlenut syrup

Swirl the edges of the glass with a mixture of gold, pink and white sugar crystals

Set aside

Combine all ingredients except the garnish in a shaker glass

Shake and strain into the cocktail glass including the pieces of chocolate.

Garnish with dried rosebuds

Enjoy!