valarltd | I am so making this...

Serves 12
1 lb (500 g) dark brown sugar

1/2 lb (250 g) salted butter

1 tsp (5 ml) ground nutmeg

1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon

1 tsp (5 ml) ground cloves

1 tsp (5 ml) ground white cardamom

750 ml top-quality dark rum (A standard ``fifth'' bottle, 750 ml, will serve 12)

MAKING THE BATTER
1 Put all batter ingredients (everything but the rum) in a food processor and run it until the mixture turns creamy. Fold it down once with a rubber spatula to make sure the spices are blended in, and run the food processor some more.

2 Scoop the mixture into a plastic container, and refrigerate. It will keep for many months in the refrigerator, even though it contains butter.

MAKING THE DRINKS
1 Fill a coffee mug half full of boiling water. The easiest way to do this is to put a mug of hot water in the microwave. If you don't have a microwave, then fill the mug with boiling water, pour it out, then fill it half full of boiling water.

2 Add 2 generous tablespoons (40 ml) of batter. Stir until the batter dissolves in the hot water. I use a small wire whisk for this stirring.

3 Add 2 jiggers (3 oz) (100 ml) of the best rum you can afford. When I make this in quantities for parties I like to use Myers Dark Rum.

One theory of hot-toddy making is that it is impossible to use too much batter and you should keep stirring more in until you are bored with stirring. Another theory of hot-toddy making is that it is impossible to use too much rum, and that you should keep stirring in more until your friends panic.

(Single serving:
2 oz rum
1.5 TBSP butter
1/3 c. brown sugar
pinches of the spices)

ETA:
Chocolate Covered Cherry.

1 part Creme de Cacao
1 part Amaretto
1 part milk
splash of grenadine

Garnish martini glass with chocolate syrup, shake with ice and pour