Menthol is soluble in alcohol. That sounds like chemistry, but it is what makes the difference between a liqueur that tastes of chocolate cream and one where the peppermint really comes through. Here is how the After Eight liqueur works in the Thermomix®: chop 220 g mint chocolate wafers for 7 seconds at speed 6, add 380 g double cream and warm for 8 minutes at 60°C at speed 4, then stir in 150 g vodka for 10 seconds at speed 8. Two bottles of 250 ml each are ready in 10 minutes.
We have been making this liqueur every Advent season for years because it always goes down well as a gift and takes very little effort. What most recipes do not explain: the chocolate must be chopped dry first, and the alcohol goes in only at the very end once the Thermomix® has stopped heating. That order is not a minor detail; it is the foundation of the flavour. Anyone who has made Thermomix® egg liqueur before will recognise the principle: temperature control is what decides between silky and grainy.
After Eight Liqueur with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 3 ✓
- 220 g mint chocolate wafers e.g. "After Eight"
- 380 g double cream
- 150 g vodka or grain spirit
Instructions 0 / 4
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1
Chop the chocolate.
Add the mint chocolate wafers to the mixing bowl and chop for 7 sec / speed 6.
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2
Warm the liqueur.
Add the double cream and heat for 8 min / 60°C / speed 4.
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3
Add alcohol and blend.
Add the vodka and blend for 10 sec / speed 8.
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4
Bottle.
Pour the liqueur into a sterilised glass bottle and store in the fridge.
Note:
- Use well-chilled mint chocolate wafers, as they chop more cleanly.
- Give the bottle a quick shake after taking it out of the fridge.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why the vodka goes in after heating, not before
Alcohol evaporates at around 78°C. The recipe heats the chocolate and cream to 60°C, well below that point. Even so, adding the vodka during heating loses part of the aroma through the steam, and the delicate mint compounds drift away with it. We therefore add the 150 g vodka only after the 8 minutes and blend it in for 10 seconds at speed 8. No more heat in the bowl: the menthol bonds with the alcohol without evaporating. That is the one point where the Thermomix®, with its precise 60-degree setting, genuinely makes a difference, because a pan on the hob never stays at one temperature as accurately.
It is also important that the mint chocolate wafers come straight from the fridge, cold. Warm wafers start to melt against the blade when chopped at speed 6 and form a sticky mass instead of fine pieces. Cold wafers break cleanly. This is not a trick; it is the reason the recipe card recommends it specifically. Many online recipes use only 200 g of chocolate to 300 g of cream. We use 220 g to 380 g deliberately, because that ratio makes the liqueur creamier while still letting the mint come through clearly despite the extra cream.
Chopping at speed 6: coarse is intentional
Speed 6 for 7 seconds chops the wafers coarsely, not to a powder. That is by design. Going to speed 9 or 10 produces fine chocolate powder that behaves differently once the cream is added: the texture becomes denser, the cream takes longer to dissolve the particles fully, and sediment is more likely to settle at the bottom of the bowl. Coarse pieces melt evenly into the cream at 60°C over 8 minutes at speed 4, without the mixture catching or sticking.
After chopping, it is worth a quick look inside the mixing bowl: if chocolate crumbs are still clinging to the wall, push them down towards the blade with the spatula before adding the cream. That way everything melts in properly and there are no hard pieces left in the finished liqueur.
The pitfalls that cost you the mint flavour
The cream gets too hot and the chocolate seizes
Turning the temperature up impatiently to 80 or 90°C risks the cream reducing too much and the chocolate turning grainy. At 60°C the emulsion stays stable.
Our fix: Stay exactly at 60°C and wait out the full 8 minutes at speed 4. The lower temperature is slower, but it makes the liqueur silky rather than grainy.
The liqueur tastes more of chocolate than mint
When the mint gets lost, it is almost always down to the timing of the alcohol. If the vodka goes in too early while the mixture is still hot, the menthol escapes with the steam and the chocolate takes over.
Our fix: Add the vodka only at the end, blend for just 10 seconds at speed 8, no reheating. That keeps the peppermint fresh in the glass.
Solid pieces of chocolate are floating in the glass
Hard pieces form when the chocolate is chopped too coarsely or processed too cold and does not melt fully.
Our fix: After the 7 seconds at speed 6, check whether any large chunks remain and, if needed, chop for another 2 seconds. Push any residue from the bowl wall down before heating.
Ways to vary the After Eight liqueur
With grain spirit instead of vodka: Grain spirit adds a slightly grainy note and is the classic homemade version. Swap 1:1 for the vodka; the 150 g stays 150 g.
More intensely minty: For a stronger mint hit, add an extra 1/2 tsp peppermint syrup or 2 drops of food-grade peppermint oil along with the vodka. Be careful, peppermint oil is very potent.
Less sweet: Instead of 220 g mint chocolate, use 180 g and add 40 g dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa). This reduces the sweetness and gives a more bitter chocolate note.
To spoon rather than drink: Increase the cream to 450 g and refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour after blending. The mixture then becomes thick enough to eat like a dessert.
What to serve with the mint liqueur
Well chilled, the liqueur is best enjoyed neat in a shot glass. As an after-dinner accompaniment it pairs well with a warm Schneepunsch made in the Thermomix®, especially during the Advent season. We also like to pour it over a scoop of vanilla ice cream, turning the liqueur into a quick dessert sauce. For anyone looking for a second creamy classic to give as a gift, the Thermomix® egg liqueur is the perfect counterpart for those who prefer something less minty.
As a gift, a 750 ml bottle holds the entire batch at once; two smaller 250 ml bottles give you two separate presents. A handwritten label with the bottling date and the note “keep refrigerated, shake before serving” turns the liqueur into a complete gift.
How long the After Eight liqueur keeps in the fridge
Pour the finished liqueur straight into sterilised glass bottles while still warm and seal immediately. To sterilise, rinse the bottles with boiling water beforehand or place them in the oven at 100°C for 10 minutes. Stored in the fridge, the liqueur keeps for around one month. As it contains cream, the mixture will separate slightly over time. We give it a quick shake before pouring.
We do not recommend freezing: when thawed, the cream and alcohol separate and the texture becomes flaky, which cannot be fully rescued by shaking. Straight from the fridge the liqueur is quite thick. For an easier pour, take the bottle out 10 minutes before serving or run it briefly under warm water.
Frequently asked questions about the After Eight liqueur
More homemade gifts from the mixing bowl: our Thermomix® egg liqueur and the warming Schneepunsch made in the Thermomix®.
