After sailing 4th of July waters with Dark and Stormy Float, here's a Mesoamerican Cocktail, Spice and Chocolate 'Aztec Margarita' from Boozy Shakes (Ryland Peters & Small, ) by Victoria Glass.

Aztec Margarita

This sophisticated shake makes the most of chocolate and spice
– a classic flavor combination since pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.

6 scoops Chocolate Ice Cream

15 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick

45 ml/3 tablespoons whole milk

45 ml/3 tablespoons double/heavy cream
120 ml/4 oz. gold tequila

60 ml/2 oz. chilli/hot pepper vodka

60 ml/2 oz. triple sec

3 tablespoons Chocolate Fudge Sauce 

3–4 drops of Tabasco

Cinnamon Sugar-rimmed Glasses


25 g/2 tablespoons caster/granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1  ⁄2 lime, cut into wedges

4 margarita glasses

Makes 800 ml/28 oz. and serves 4

Begin by making the Chocolate Ice Cream, or use a good-quality store-bought ice cream.

Place the glasses in the freezer to chill for a few minutes.

For the shake, lightly crush the cardamom pods using a pestle and mortar, and break up the cinnamon stick. Put the milk and cream in a small saucepan, add the spices and simmer until the cream begins to boil. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until cold, to allow the spices to infuse with the milk and cream. Pass the cold cream through a fine mesh sieve/strainer set over a bowl. Discard the spices and chill the cream until needed.

Next, decorate the glasses. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon and place in a shallow bowl wide enough to fit the margarita glasses. Rub a lime wedge around the edge of each chilled glass before upturning them into the cinnamon sugar. Twist to coat the edge, then set aside. 

To make the shake, put the chilled infused cream, tequila, vodka, triple sec, Chocolate Ice Cream and Chocolate Fudge Sauce in a blender with 2 drops of Tabasco. Pulse until smooth and frothy. Taste and add more Tabasco if desired. Blitz again and pour into the prepared glasses. 

( * Recipe from 'Boozy Shakes' by Victoria Glass- Ryland Peters & Small, $16.95; www.rylandpeters.com
, Photography by Gareth Morgans)