Hallowed Ground Recipe

Prepare baking sheet

Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and lightly butter the paper so the brittle releases easily.

Cook sugar

In a small heavy-bottom saucepan, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir gently over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and clip on a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil and cook undisturbed until mixture reaches 300°F (hard crack stage), about 6–8 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Add almonds and butter

Remove pan from heat, quickly stir in the roasted almonds and butter until coated. Immediately stir in baking soda — the mixture will foam and become lighter in color. Working quickly, pour the foamy brittle onto the prepared sheet and tilt to spread into a roughly 8-inch rectangle about 1/8–1/4 inch thick.

Cool and break

Allow brittle to cool completely at room temperature, about 20–30 minutes. Once set, break into small shards roughly 1–1.5 inches wide to use as cocktail garnish.

Dip in chocolate

Melt dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until smooth. Dip one edge of each brittle shard into chocolate and place on parchment. Optionally sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on the chocolate while it sets. Let chocolate harden, about 15–20 minutes, before using.

Dry shake

Add Scotch, apple brandy, crème de banane, toffee peanut syrup, Angostura bitters, and the whole egg to a cocktail shaker (no ice). Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 20–25 seconds to emulsify the egg and create a rich foam.

Wet shake

Open the shaker, add a large handful of ice, re-seal, and shake hard for 15–20 seconds until the outside of the shaker is very cold and well diluted.

Strain

Fine-strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass to ensure a silky texture and to remove any small ice shards.

Garnish and finish

Carefully place one piece of the QUIX chocolate-dipped almond brittle on the rim or floating atop the foam. Finish with a light grating of freshly grated nutmeg over the foam. Serve immediately.