This recipe will also show you how to make your own homemade white chocolate liqueur without having to use expensive store-bought white chocolate liqueur.
Sri Lankan Falooda drink
Have you guys checked out my Sri Lankan Falooda drink? It’s one of my husband’s (and mine too) absolute favorite Sri Lankan drinks (and dessert drinks in general). Falooda is an indulgent, creamy milkshake made using rose syrup that’s very popular in South Asia. It’s traditionally pink in color, although you can color it any way you like! The rose syrup is a beautiful sweet syrup made with rose water, vanilla and sugar simmered together. So how do I take a non-alcoholic drink that’s already incredibly delicious and is a favorite across multiple countries, a whole region of the globe and make it even better? I make fun cocktails out of it, of course! 🙂 And that’s how this Vanilla Rose and White Chocolate Cocktail (AKA Falooda Cocktail) came to be! 🙂 For a mocktail idea, you can check out my blushing ginger rose fizz recipe! Falooda is a cold drink, usually enjoyed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in it. But during winter, I like to warm it up a little bit by adding some booze. I’ve used vodka and tequila before, but my favorite is tequila for sure.
This cocktail makes the perfect Valentine’s day drink
While I had no intention of making this cocktail look all Valentiney when I started out, I saw the final result and realized that it would be the PERFECT romantic Valentine’s Day recipe! I mixed white chocolate and tequila for this cocktail and then poured rose syrup into it which sinks to the bottom to give you a layered effect. I mean, look at that gorgeous red, pink and white with that ombre effect? This vanilla rose and white chocolate cocktail will be the perfect accompaniment to a romantic dinner (like this lobster risotto or chicken and sausage pasta!). Once I realized this white chocolate cocktail had that romantic, valentiney vibe going for it, I decided to take it up another notch and garnished it with a beautiful, edible fondant flower petal too! 🙂 The dark pink of rose syrup is achieved using a small amount of pink food coloring, so you can try any color of your choice. It’s not going to affect the flavor at all, just the color and the appearance. For example, green would work brilliantly if you were making this cocktail for St. Patrick’s Day! In my original rose syrup recipe I used vanilla extract (a good quality vanilla extract!), which will work for this too. However, I do love fresh vanilla beans and I have some in a cupboard in the kitchen which I only use for special occasions. And this was one of those! I absolutely loved the look of the vanilla bean specks floating in the rose syrup and the cocktail. But like I said, it’s not necessary, vanilla extract should do the trick too. In my best Ina Garten voice (which is not that good to be honest) – If you can’t fly to Madagascar and have angels handpick the juiciest, plumpest, most fragrant vanilla beans for this recipe……store bought vanilla extract is fine.
Homemade white chocolate liqueur
I used Godiva white chocolate liqueur because it’s so smooth and creamy, but I understand that not everyone has access to it. So, as an added bonus, I have included in the recipe, alternative steps to make your own homemade white chocolate liqueur that’ll give you the same flavors. If you’d like to try a non-alcoholic version of this cocktail, check out my original post – Sri Lankan Falooda drink from scratch. Let me warn you first though, it’s a deceptively addictive dessert drink. Once you get a taste of it, it’s hard to say how long you could go without another fix. Not very long, would be my guess. Aaaand as another added bonus, I’m also sharing with you guys a tutorial on how to make those pretty fondant flower petals too! They are the perfect garnish for a rose cocktail because they are edible, and they even dissolve in the cocktail over time.
Recipe tips
You don’t have access to expensive White Chocolate Liqueur? No problem. Now you know how to make your own homemade white chocolate liqueur! Rose water and vanilla together are an AMAZING flavor match. Just a hint of vanilla really transforms the flavor of rose water. You really need to try it! Falooda isn’t just a milkshake anymore. I don’t believe anyone has ever made a cocktail out of falooda before, but now you know just how to do it! And it’s one delicious, sweet, creamy, floral cocktail too!
