Advocaat
The thick, yellow liqueur made from egg yolk, sugar and brandy that you eat with a small spoon. Everything about the taste, alcohol content, storage, the Snowball and the glass that goes with it.
A creamy liqueur made from egg yolk, sugar and brandy
Advocaat is an egg liqueur: a thick, smooth liqueur made from egg yolk, sugar or honey, alcohol and usually vanilla. In the Netherlands and Belgium, it is a classic that you do not drink but eat with a spoon, from a small glass topped with whipped cream. European regulations for egg liqueur are clear: at least 14% alcohol, at least 140 grams of pure egg yolk and at least 150 grams of sugar or honey per liter. Most bottles contain between 14 and 20 percent.
There are two stories about the name. One goes back to Dutch people in Brazil, who discovered a drink made with avocado there and replaced the fruit with egg yolk when they returned home. The other explains the name through the lawyers' drink: a soft drink that speakers supposedly drank for their voices. It cannot be determined which story is correct. Well-known brands include Warninks, Bols, De Kuyper and the German Verpoorten.
In short
Thick Advocaat, thin Advocaat and Eierlikör
The difference is mainly in the egg white. Without egg white, Advocaat becomes so thick that it stays on a spoon; with egg white added, it is liquid enough to pour and mix.
Thick Advocaat
The Dutch and Belgian style: thick, glossy and so creamy that you eat it with a small spoon. Often topped with whipped cream and a little cocoa.
Thin Advocaat
The export version, more liquid and lighter in color. Easier to mix and therefore the usual choice for cocktails such as the Snowball.
Eierlikör
This is what egg liqueur is called in Germany and Austria. Usually a little thinner than Dutch Advocaat and widely used in cakes and pastries.
Want to eat it with a spoon? Choose thick Advocaat. Want to mix or pour it? Choose a thinner bottle.
Soft, sweet and creamy, like vanilla custard with a warm glow
Vanilla & egg
A sweet aroma of vanilla and egg yolk, with a hint of brandy in the background.
Full and velvety
Thick and creamy, sweet like pudding. The alcohol is there, but stays soft beneath the cream and sugar.
Warm and short
A short, warm finish that calls for whipped cream, coffee, or a spoonful of ice cream.
Flavor profile of thick advocaat, chilled from the refrigerator.
Three ways to drink advocaat
Advocaat should be chilled. Refrigerate the bottle after opening and pour it only when you are ready to serve it.
Advocaat with whipped cream
A small glass of advocaat with a dollop of whipped cream and a pinch of cocoa, eaten with a coffee spoon. The Dutch classic for birthdays and holidays.
To the recipe →Snowball
Thin advocaat with lemonade and lime in a highball glass full of ice. Refreshing, creamy, and England's ultimate Christmas drink.
Snowball recipe →In coffee or over ice cream
A splash of advocaat in coffee instead of sugar and milk, or a few spoonfuls over vanilla ice cream. That turns it into a dessert.
Coffee cocktails →Advocaat with whipped cream: how to serve it
The best-known advocaat drink in the Netherlands is also the easiest. It is all about the temperature and the ratio of advocaat to whipped cream.
What you need
4 to 5 cl of thick advocaat, chilled from the refrigerator
A generous tablespoon of stiffly whipped cream
A pinch of cocoa powder
A liqueur glass and a coffee spoon
How to make it
1. Place the glasses in the refrigerator for ten minutes.
2. Whip the cream until stiff, optionally with a teaspoon of sugar.
3. Spoon or pour the advocaat into the glass until two centimeters below the rim.
4. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and dust with a pinch of cocoa.
5. Serve immediately, with a small spoon in or beside the glass.
Tip
If you make several at once, place the filled glasses in the refrigerator and add the whipped cream just before serving. For a warm version, pour advocaat into a coffee glass with hot coffee and whipped cream.
Cocktails and recipes with advocaat
Advocaat is the base of a few true classics, especially around the holidays.
Snowball
Advocaat, lemonade, and lime. The Christmas drink from England, refreshing and creamy at the same time.
Eggnog
Advocaat's American cousin: egg, milk, cream, and cognac or rum.
Boerenjongens
Raisins in brandy, as Dutch as advocaat and just as delicious by the spoonful.
Winter cocktails
Warm and creamy drinks for cold evenings, from mulled wine to eggnog.The right glass for advocaat
A small stemmed liqueur glass for advocaat with whipped cream, and a dessert coupe if you serve it over ice or as a dessert. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about Advocaat
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