Brazilian Alexander Cocktail – Leite de Onça

The Brazilian Alexander cocktail, also known as leite de onça, is a creamy mixed drink with cachaça.

It is luscious, but not overly sweet, the Brazilian Alexander cocktail has the perfect balance between its four ingredients.

Beyond that, the cocoa liqueur adds a hint of chocolate flavor accenting the cream and booze.

This Brazilian cocktail is almost a dessert, but it can also be paired with food. For instance, custards, lightly citrus/vanilla cream treats, and berry desserts would be an excellent accompaniment.

Alexander cocktail with a Brazilian touch

In Brazil, there are many theories as to where leite de onça was created. Some say it is a mixed drink from Minas Gerais State, others say it is from the central-western region.

I guess we will never know.

In English, leite de onça literally means jaguar’s milk, and it obviously has this name because of its milky, creamy look.

The idea behind “jaguar” comes from the fact it is a rather “misleading” milk, and you will get drunk by drinking one too many glasses.

How strong is a Brazilian Alexander cocktail?

As said, the Brazilian Alexander cocktail may look and taste innocent—in comparison to other cachaça cocktails, like the caipirinha, it is.

For starters, the cachaça alcohol content is between 38-48% ABV (76-96 proof). In comparison, the alcohol content of crème de cacao varies between 20-25% ABV (40-50 proof).

What I’m trying to say is the Brazilian Alexander is not a light cocktail (remember the Portuguese name!), so don’t let its sweet taste trick you into drinking more than you intend to.

Tips to make a perfect the Brazilian Alexander cocktail

• For the perfectly chilled glass, put it in the fridge for two hours and remove it when pouring your drink.
• Choose your preferred heaviness when it comes to the cream. Heavy cream and half and half are the top recommendations. Milk can be too light, but if you want to use it, go with 2 percent or whole milk.
• While you can use rum instead of cachaça, what gives this cocktail a special Brazilian touch, is this Brazilian spirit.

How to make a perfect the Brazilian Alexander cocktail

In a cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice, pour the cachaça, cocoa liqueur, cream, and sweetened condensed milk.

Shake it well and strain the cocktail into a chilled glass. Finally, garnish with a dusting of cinnamon and enjoy your drink! Saúde!

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