True to its name, the Apollo cocktail traces back to the Apollo 11 spacecraft, by way of Meiji’s Apollo, a cone-shaped Japanese chocolate modeled on its command module and loved since 1969. Chocolate and strawberry liqueurs meet a splash of pineapple and chilled milk, and a hard shake whips them into a soft, pink-beige drink that tastes just like the candy’s two layers of berry and milk chocolate. It’s worth shaking one tonight as dessert and letting a sweet piece of childhood melt into your glass.
Recipe and How to Make It
Ingredients
Recipe no.162
- Chocolate liqueur — 2/3 oz (20ml)
- Strawberry liqueur — 2/3 oz (20ml)
- Pineapple juice — 1/3 oz (10ml)
- Milk — 1/3 oz (10ml)
Directions
Squeeze a pineapple to make fresh juice (store-bought pineapple juice works too). Chill the milk and pineapple juice in advance. Chill the glass beforehand, or fill it with ice and discard the ice and water just before pouring. Chill the shaker the same way: add ice, stir well, then pour off only the water. (Keep the ice in the shaker.)
Add the chocolate liqueur, strawberry liqueur, pineapple juice and milk to the shaker.
Shake well. (Because the drink contains milk, shake harder or a little longer than usual.) Pour into the glass, and it’s ready.
・Technique ｜ Shake
・Glass ｜ Cocktail Glass
・ABV ｜ Around 9–10%
・Best Enjoyed ｜ Daytime / After dinner
About the Apollo
Origin and Character
The Apollo is a playful dessert cocktail inspired by Meiji’s Apollo, a beloved Japanese chocolate launched in 1969. Its cone shape was modeled on the Apollo 11 command module, and its two layers of strawberry and milk chocolate are exactly what this drink recreates.
Chocolate and strawberry liqueurs bring sweet cocoa and berry notes, pineapple adds a light, fruity tang, and milk rounds it all into a soft, pink-beige shake.
I’d serve it after dinner in place of dessert, because it truly tastes like the candy.
Points, Twists & Food Pairings
Tips for Making It
- Mixing the ingredients ahead of time (a common mistake) — Many people combine everything in the shaker and let it sit while they prepare. Pineapple’s natural acidity can make milk curdle and turn grainy. Keep the milk and juice well chilled, add them last, and shake right away.
- Shake hard to whip in air — Milk and liqueur blend best with a strong shake. I’d always shake a little longer than usual, because the extra air turns the drink into a light, fluffy texture, just like a strawberry milkshake.
- Choose a creamy chocolate liqueur — A rich, cream-style chocolate liqueur brings the milky cocoa flavor of the candy’s chocolate base. Clear crème de cacao works too, but the drink becomes lighter and less like the chocolate it recreates.
Twists
- Apollo Candy Garnish — Place a few Apollo chocolates on a cocktail pick and rest it on the rim. The candy and the drink share the same strawberry-and-chocolate flavor, making it a fun, nostalgic way to serve it to friends.
- Mint & Berry Apollo — Garnish with fresh mint and a blackberry or blueberry on a pick. The cool mint lifts the sweetness, and the dark berry adds a fruity accent and a beautiful contrast against the pink-beige color.
Food Pairings
- Fresh strawberries — Juicy, sweet-tart strawberries echo the drink’s strawberry liqueur, and their fresh acidity keeps the creamy chocolate from feeling too heavy.
- Butter cookies — Crisp, buttery cookies bring a toasty, rich contrast to the drink’s smooth, milky texture, much like dipping cookies into a glass of chocolate milk.
- Cheesecake — The creamy, gently tangy cheesecake mirrors the drink’s milky sweetness, while the strawberry notes taste like a classic strawberry topping.
