After a season filled with holiday cocktails and festive liquors, we wanted to take a short break from alcohol. That’s why we focused this Flavor of the Month on a new category, Non-Alcoholic Flavors. There’s been a trend of alcohol-free/non-alcoholic beverages, also known as temperance drinks or mocktails, on the market. These temperance drinks are a version of an alcoholic beverage made without alcohol or with the alcohol removed/reduced to almost zero. As consumer demand increases, booze-free tequilas, rums, whiskeys, and beers have appeared more frequently in stores.

Seeing these trends, our experienced scientists at Sovereign have been working on matching flavors of alcoholic beverages to create alcoholic-free versions. We’ve already developed a line of spirit flavors, perfect for temperance drinks. 

We currently offer:

• Non-alcoholic spirits: Gin, bourbon, whiskey, rum, tequila, various wine, and prosecco varietals
• Aperitifs such as Campari-type and Aperol-type

These alcohol-free flavors are not only perfect in beverages but food as well. With our matched barrel-aged rum flavor, you can get the rich flavor in a dessert such as a napoleon that anyone can enjoy without the caution of alcohol. Infusing desserts with non-alcoholic spirits can be a great option if you want to add a rich and creamy flavor to your creations. Taking our alcohol-free spirits such as bourbon or aged rum and infusing it with chocolate nibs is a great way to utilize our flavors.

Vanilla Napoleon Recipe 

Ingredients: 

• One (17.3 oz) package pastry puff, thawed slightly. 
• 4 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 2 cups whole milk 
• ½ cup sugar 
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1/4 tsp of Sovereign’s vanilla flavor 
• 1/4 tsp of Sovereign’s bourbon flavor 

Directions for pastry puff:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F
2. Take a slightly thawed pastry puff and roll out onto a cutting board until pastry ⅛ “thick. 
3. Cut pastry puff into 2″ x 3″ rectangles. Then transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Bake for 25 mins or until golden brown. Let cool to room temperature. 
5. There will be layers in the pastry puff. Cut into thirds, creating a bottom, middle, and top for Napoleons. 

Directions for Cream: 

1. In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolk and cornstarch until well combined, set aside. 
2. Heat milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt until simmering in a medium saucepan. Slowly add heated milk to egg yolk, ½ cup at a time. Whisk constantly and vigorously to not let egg yolk curdle. 
3. Once the milk mixture is incorporated into the egg. Return to the saucepan and cook under medium heat. Whisk constantly for another 2 to 3 mins or until thick and bubbly. 
4. Remove from heat and whisk in diced butter and bourbon flavor, transfer to a heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Make sure plastic wrap touches cream, so it does not form a skin. 

Assembling Napoleons:

1. Take a “bottom” pastry puff. Add cream to the top of it (using a cream bag or ziplock with a corner cut). 
2. Place the “middle” pastry puff on top, adding more cream on top. Then place the “top” pastry puff. Freeze for at least 30 mins.  
3. Plate with sifted powdered sugar.