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Coquito From Bolo

For Puerto Rican chef Yun Fuentes, Coquito is a must for the holidays. It’s “always given as a gesture of gratitude for being able to spend some time together,” he says. At his restaurant Bolo in Philadelphia, Fuentes makes his version of the holiday cocktail with the same homemade spice syrup used in his tembleque, a traditional Puerto Rican coconut pudding. And to boost the coconut and spices in the Coquito, he adds equal parts coconut rum with the aged rum. “Coconut rum provides an added toasted coconut flavor, which brings out the warming spices even further,” he says.

This recipe makes about 64 servings, more than enough to serve at a party and/or gift to loved ones. “We have played with the idea of turning [the coconut milk punch] into a cocktail at our rum bar, but I always end up giving it away to the tables. I can’t help it, it’s the way it’s served in Puerto Rico,” says Fuentes.

Ingredients

Yield:4 quarts
  • 1 cup Puerto Rican rum
  • 1 cup coconut rum (Bolo uses Planteray)
  • 2 cups spiced syrup
  • 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
  • 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
  • 4 cans (13.5 oz. each) coconut milk
  • 1 can (15 oz.) Coco Lopez Coconut Cream
  • Tools:immersion blender, saucepan
  • Glass:sherry or coupe
  • Garnish:grated cinnamon and star anise

Preparation

Add all of the ingredients to immersion blender and blend until smooth and well-combined. Add to airtight bottle and store in refrigerator. When ready to serve, pour 2 oz. of Coquito into a sherry wine glass or coupe glass. Garnish.
Spiced SyrupPlace 2 cups of water, 3 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, 1 1/2 tsp. of whole allspice, 1 tsp. of whole spiced cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit for 1 hour (minimum), then strain. In a new sauce pot, combine the spiced tea with 2 cups of granulated sugar over low heat. Once dissolved and fully combined, let sit off heat until cool before use. Yields: 2 cups

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