The base of many alcoholic beverages, a cream liqueur is the ultimate indulgence to add to your iced drink or to your hot coffee. But when you find one that is proudly local, makes use of native ingredients found on the African continent, and tastes of dark roasted coffee and smooth vanilla, you want to add it to everything. The Royal Rhino African Cream Liqueur is all that, and then a bit more. This is Africa.
Introduction
If someone had to ask me to capture the essence of Africa, I would simply present them with a bottle of The Royal Rhino African Cream Liqueur. So much more than just a cream liqueur, The Royal Rhino is not only infused with two native African ingredients, but blended to the very last sip with a distinct passion for conservation, and for the protection of our local rhino.
So every time I open a uniquely shaped bottle of The Royal Rhino and pour myself a sunset cocktail, I am reminded of what Africa means to me. A celebration of our fertile lands, a showcase of our continent’s produce, a spirit of togetherness and support, a love for the things that make us probably the most beautiful continent in the world.
Background
What started as a pipe dream for conservationist Louis Lategan, turned into a reality when The Royal Rhino cream liqueur was launched to the market in 2018.
The dire need to help save the rhino inspired Louis to design and create a bottle in the shape of a rhino horn. Not only would consumers get to enjoy this delicious cream liqueur but they would also be contributing to a worthy cause. For every bottle sold a percentage of the proceeds is donated to the fight against the poaching of Black and White Rhino throughout Africa.
Awards
Not only is The Royal Rhino helping to save rhinos one sip at a time, but it is also a recipient of a number of prestigious accolades, which include an impressive score of 91 points out of a possible 100 at the recent International Wine & Spirit Competition. More recently The Royal Rhino was awarded the Best Bottle Design in the Beverage Packaging Division at the Virtual Worldstar Awards ceremony.
The Royal Rhino African Cream Liqueur
Nothing like other cream liqueurs available on the market, The Royal Rhino presents dark, rich Arabica coffee on the nose and palate, lifted by the intense fragrance of vanilla. With a super creamy mouth-feel that carries through into an incredibly well-balanced tail, it’s not what you would expect.
I find cream liqueurs to be either overly sweet or incredibly strong, leaving you breathless after a few sips. I tried The Royal Rhino neat in a tumbler, and then over ice, each time pleasantly surprised at a completely different experience. As the foundation of the liqueur is coffee, it offers you an expansive canvas to build on, should you so choose. A harmonious fusion of beautiful flavours, I sat well into the night with my rhino horn bottle, looking at the stars that light up our whole continent.
In the kitchen with The Royal Rhino
Wanting to promote the versatility of this cream liqueur, I decided I won’t be pouring it into a glass, unless it’s for me to sip on whilst I bake. With the plight of the black and white rhinos at the forefront of my mind, I decided on two recipes that incorporates the cream liqueur into its core; brownie bites for the black rhinos, and delicately moreish melting moments for the white rhinos.
Perfect for your festive table this season, both these recipes are easy to make, and the addition of The Royal Rhino allows for the deepening of the chocolate and vanilla flavours. And the best of all? Both recipes uses the same buttercream recipe, so multi-tasking has never been this easy!
The Royal Rhino Mudbath Brownie Bites
The Royal Rhino Mudbath Brownie Bites
Ingredients
For the brownie bites
- 170 gr plant butter (you can also use normal butter)
- 1.5 cups brown sugar
- 85 gr dark chocolate, chopped
- 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup The Royal Rhino cream liqueur
- 2 tbsp instant coffee
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped (or any of your favourite nuts)
- 2 eggs, large
- 0.5 cup gluten-free all purpose flour (you can use normal all purpose flour, too)
For the frosting
- 80 gr plant butter, softened (you can also use normal butter)
- 2/3 cup icing sugar
- 2 tbsp The Royal Rhino cream liqueur
- cherries and walnuts to decorate
Instructions
For the brownie bites
- Preheat oven to 180C degrees. Grease mini muffin tin.
- In a double boiler combine butter, sugar, unsweetened baking chocolate, cocoa powder, salt, and The Royal Rhino cream liqueur. Turn heat to medium and stir intermittently until butter and baking chocolate are melted, and ingredients are completely moistened. Mixture might still be grainy- that's okay.
- Add instant coffee and mix.Remove from heat and set aside for about 5 minutes, or until mixture cools slightly.
- Next whisk in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
- Add flour and whisk until fully mixed.
- Fill muffin tin almost to the top with brownie batter. Bake for 18-22 minutes. (Mine took 20minutes). Let cool in the pan before removing to frost.
For the frosting
- In a small mixing bowl add softened butter and beat well until fluffy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, mixing well after each addition.
- Add The Royal Rhino cream liqueur and mix to combine, and decorate once the brownie bites are cool.
The Royal Rhino Melting Moments
The Royal Rhino Melting Moments
Ingredients
For the biscuits
- 250 gr plant butter, chopped (you can use normal butter, too)
- 1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp The Royal Rhino cream liqueur
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup corn flour
For the frosting
- 80 gr plant butter, softened (you can use normal butter, too)
- 2/3 cup icing sugar, sifted
- 6 tbsp The Royal Rhino cream liqueur (or to taste!)
Instructions
In conclusion
In conclusionMy family still talks about the melting moments, and I managed to save a handful of the brownie bites for the freezer. My personal favourite? I simply can’t choose, depends what I’m in the mood for. These two recipes are being added to my personalised recipe folder, and the rest of The Royal Rhino cream liqueur will be enjoyed at a leisurely pace as the sun draws longer in the evenings.
This festive season, drink and give consciously. The Royal Rhino makes for a beautiful gift, but most importantly, it supports an incredibly important conservation effort in the process. And if that doesn’t capture the essence of Africa, then I don’t know what does. This is Africa.
The Royal Rhino is available from most outlets nationwide as well as their online shop at R159.99 per bottle. For more information on this irresistible liqueur visit http://royalrhino.co.za/#.
The Little Hedonist endorses responsible drinking.
Don’t drink and drive. Not for persons under 18.
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