Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos
You are here: Home / Recipes / South African / Don pedros for dessert

Don pedros for dessert

by Jeanne Horak on October 16, 2007 21 Comments in Dessert, Gluten-free, South African

South African Don Pedro cocktail

So who the heck is Don Pedro anyway?

Well, he might be:

* a prince of Aragon in the Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

* an American actor

* a former governor of Guatemala

* a Filipino politician

* a Latin-American restaurant in New York

* a dam

All very impressive, but to me, Don Pedro will only ever mean one thing:  one of my favourite South African desserts.

I say South African, but truth be told, its name and its regular appearance on Argentine menus suggests that this is a South American import.  How an Argentine boozy ice cream cocktail came to our shores is anybody’s guess, but its here to stay on every menu south of the Limpopo (and probably a few north of it as well!).  Here in London, it is unknown (outside of a handful of South African and Argentine restaurants) and it is surprising how often after a meal I feel like one but can’t find it on the menu. The great thing is that it tastes like a cocktail, looks like a dessert and doesn’t fill you up too much.  What’s not to like?

I guess you could describe it as a grown-up milkshake, consisting as it does of cream, ice-cream and booze, and the classic booze to use is whisky.  However, in South Africa you can customise it according to what your favourite liqueur happens to be.  Just like when you order a steak you will be asked to choose between chips, rice or baked potato, when you order a Don Pedro you will be asked whether you want it with whisky, Kahlua, Amarula or other more adventurous options like creme de menthe or tequila.  Although mine is served with a restrained glace cherry, you can also have them with grated chocolate or whipped cream topping, just in case you feel the need to up your calorie intake…

Here’s the classic whisky version – enjoy!

 

 

DON PEDRO (per serving)

2-3 scoops good vanilla ice cream
25 ml whisky (or alcohol of choice)
50ml cream
a glace cherry to garnish
grated chocolate to garnish (optional)

Blend the ice cream, cream and whisky in a blender.  Pour into champagne flutes and garnish with cherries or grated chocolate, as you prefer.

Cheers!

More deliciousness for you!

  • Feast, famine and Ferran Adria – and a challengeFeast, famine and Ferran Adria – and a challenge
  • Saturday Snapshots #10Saturday Snapshots #10
  • How to braai like a pro for National Braai DayHow to braai like a pro for National Braai Day
  • Launching the 2015 Bernard Loiseau Festival Culinare with Constance HotelsLaunching the 2015 Bernard Loiseau Festival Culinare with Constance Hotels

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« Sun-dried tomato, basil and mozzarella chicken
The Famous Four meme »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Pille says

    October 16, 2007 at 10:47 am

    That sounds absolutely delicious, Jeanne – and just a little bit naughty! I love the top photo!

    Reply
  2. katsa says

    October 16, 2007 at 12:21 pm

    Thanks for this post Jeanne! A Don Pedro is my favourite dessert too – and I have never had one in Europe. My personal favoutite slant is with Frangelico – smoky hazelnuts with the creamy base – as you say – what’s not to love?!

    Reply
  3. Claude-Olivier says

    October 16, 2007 at 3:33 pm

    Sounds really good, I will try your version but also with amarula…let see if it’s good 😉 Cheers

    Reply
  4. Patricia Scarpin says

    October 17, 2007 at 1:02 pm

    Simple to put together and delicious – a perfect dessert, Jeanne!

    Reply
  5. santos. says

    October 18, 2007 at 4:18 pm

    hey, i’m related to a don pedro! ( http://tinyurl.com/2rbsnm ):) ahhhh, i *love* whisky and vanilla ice cream, people just think i’m a lush, but you’ve proven them wrong! well, maybe not, but at least it’s a common enough combination to have its own name.

    Reply
  6. myfrenchkitchen says

    October 18, 2007 at 4:35 pm

    I haven’t had one of these in so many years, I wouldn’t even have remembered what goes into it. I’m so glad for the recipe, so we can make some this season…we do have Amarula!
    Ronell

    Reply
  7. herschelian says

    October 18, 2007 at 6:58 pm

    I’ve always known them as DoM Pedros not DoN, has anyone else called them that? I made a batch for a hen night earlier this year and everyone loved them. Way back I made them for my girls Bookclub, and one of our number was spotted in the kitchen trying to lick out the blender! My preference is for Kahlua, but I do like whiskey as well.

    Reply
  8. Susan from Food Blogga says

    October 18, 2007 at 11:38 pm

    What does it say about me that despite vanilla and whiskey, I’m craving that ruby red cherry on top?! I’ve always loved maraschino cherries.

    Reply
  9. Gill says

    October 20, 2007 at 7:46 am

    I have also always known them as Dom Pedros – my favourite is with Kahlua, yum!

    Reply
  10. Mats says

    June 7, 2008 at 6:04 pm

    Its called Don Pedro, and the recipe is Kahlua, WHiskey and Vanilla Ice Cream. But you can also use Amarulla… Its the South African version 🙂

    Reply
  11. Karen Murray says

    August 30, 2008 at 12:58 pm

    I thought it was just me. I love Don Pedro’s and was surprised that you can’t find them on the menu outside South Africa, with such a foreign sounding name ,why is that so?
    I live in Australia now and I am on a mission to introduce my friends to the simplicity (milkshakes)and delicious taste of Don Pedro’s.
    To top it all I use a Thermomix in the kitchen (the best kitchen gadget of the millenium). I can whip up a Don Pedro’s in 20seconds. I also add fresh strawberries for a healthy kick.

    Reply
  12. lisa J says

    February 19, 2010 at 3:01 am

    What a lovely collection of recipes you have put together – all so delicious and so saffa – heaven to read this as an expat. Stunning tasty food – and a lovely layout thanks x

    Reply
  13. Rohan_kalli says

    April 10, 2010 at 6:43 pm

    Wonderful drink … can’t think of anything better a meal. My parents first had it in Jo’burg, and then introduced it to all of heir friends. Interested to hear of the Argentinian link, this makes sense as I was so surprised to see on the menu at Gaucho’s Grill Argentinian Restaurant in Manchester. I know that I have often seen Cointreau substituted in for Kahlua.

    Reply
  14. menamoo says

    May 28, 2010 at 3:21 pm

    i love don pedros, my fav is with amaretto 🙂 im a sucker for marzipan flavour. and indeed in london u dont get any (havnt checked sa or argentinian restaurants) honestly i have NEVR had it with a cherry, might make one tonight

    Reply
  15. menamoo says

    May 28, 2010 at 3:22 pm

    ps i love your domain name 🙂

    Reply
  16. peter says

    July 5, 2012 at 8:59 pm

    do you have a recipe for malva tart, thankyou

    Reply
  17. Patricia says

    August 17, 2015 at 6:37 pm

    The Don (the word Don in spanish means Sir) Pedro is original from Argentina. My guess of how it ended up in the S. Africa is because is sooo good. The origin of the dessert was in a Restaurant in Buenos Aires called Lo Prete from the 1930s. Leyend says that it was created for a customer called Pedro who did not want people seeing him drink whiskey so this dessert was the solution. The original recipe calls for 1 shot of whiskey, 1 scoop of icecream (usually Sambayon) y crushed nuts.

    Reply
  18. Karen says

    December 27, 2018 at 7:29 pm

    Don Pedro’s sound so yummy
    Making one right now!!!
    I love cheese too ~
    if you can ever get to try Lancashire Crumbly ‘tis Mmmmm!

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Get my latest recipes delivered by e-mail!

Search over 500 recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Perfect broccoli and Stilton soup [keto, low carb, GF]
  • Masalchi by Atul Kochhar – Indian street food in Wembley
  • Barbecued salmon with blood oranges and capers
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta, pomegranate and pine nuts [GF, V]
  • Love Yourself healthy meal delivery [Review]
  • Antillean
  • Festive roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
  • Rustic blood orange and pistachio galettes

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Nigella's Bakewell slices & the Big Bakewell Taste-off
Oxtail and red wine potjie
Gem squash 101: how to find them, how to grow them, how to eat them!
Beef, broccoli and udon noodle stir fry from "The Japanese Larder" by Luiz Hara
Roosterkoek - a South African braai essential

Featured on

Also available on

The wonderful Museum of the Moon installation - a The wonderful Museum of the Moon installation - a 7 metre diameter scale model of the moon suspended in the Painted Hall at the  @oldroyalnavalcollege in Greenwich this week, by @lukejerramartist. A surreal and fabulous sight!
Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need to get down to @canarywharflondon between now and Saturday 28 Jan to catch the free Winter Lights 2023 event, back for the seventh year.

My favourites include @lukejerramartist ‘s Floating Earth; Tom Lambert’s Out of the Dark; Fluorescent Firs; Toroid by This is Loop; and the surreal and mesmerising Anima by MEATS - a tunnel filled with hundreds of thin optical fibre lights that change colour and move in the breeze 😍 

Have you been to Winter Lights? What was your favourite?
“When we look down at the Earth from space, we s “When we look down at the Earth from space, we see this amazing, indescribably beautiful planet. It looks like a living, breathing organism. But it also, at the same time, looks extremely fragile.” - International Space Station astronaut Ron Garamond

To experience the “overview effect” (a phenomenon experienced by astronauts viewing the earth from space), head down to Canary Wharf in the London docklands this week where you can see @lukejerramartist ‘s beautiful Floating Earth installation as part of the Winter Lights event. 

This giant 10m diameter installation is created using high resolution NASA images to create a floating scale model of the Earth, lit from within so that it glows from its current home on the Middle Dock, surrounded by the headquarters of international banking and finance corporations.

The artist hopes that viewed in this context, the installation will make visitors and the bankers working in surrounding buildings question how their money in savings and pensions is invested, and whether investments can be greener.

Aside from being a thought provoking piece, it is also mesmerising and surreally beautiful, so make sure you visit the free Winter Lights event before ends on Saturday 28 Jan.
Happy lunar new year! [Invited] To celebrate the Happy lunar new year! 

[Invited] To celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit, why not head over to @mamachensdumplings currently doing a residence at the @thegantrylondon in #stratford where you can feast on prawn & chive dumplings; pork, Chinese cabbage and shiitake mushroom dumplings; pork & prawn wontons with Mama Chen’s chilli oil; vegetable dumplings; smacked cucumber salad; and spicy noodles coated in garlic and Szechuan pepper oil.

And afterwards, make sure you head up to the @unionsocialoc bar for a cocktail - I loved the Moreish Fashion with bourbon, PX sherry, chestnuts and mandarin orange bitters!
Got leftover Stilton (or any blue cheese) from Chr Got leftover Stilton (or any blue cheese) from Christmas? Turn it into this super simple and super indulgent broccoli and Stilton soup! So easy to make and soooo delicious to eat - and it is low carb and GF. What more could you want?! Click the link in my bio for the full recipe. What’s your favourite soup?
CELEBRATE. So the fireworks are over, the champag CELEBRATE.

So the fireworks are over, the champagne is finished and the leftovers are all eaten. We are one week into 2023 and I have had some time to think about what my intent is for the year. 

In 2022 my brother had a life saving kidney transplant. Since the operation, he has had a Peanuts cartoon as his WhatsApp profile pic, where Charlie Brown and Snoopy are sitting on a pier talking. Charlie says “Some day, we all die Snoopy.” And Snoopy replies: “Yes - but every other day, we will live.”

Waking up in the morning is a gift, every day, and it is so easy to forget this. The last few years have been difficult for so many people and the coming year promises its own challenges. But every day that we don’t die is a day to live, to celebrate life in some small way.

So my intention in 2023 is to celebrate. Celebrate our achievements however small. Celebrate our friends and family. Celebrate small things. Celebrate life.

Did you make any resolutions or goals for 2023? I would love to hear them in the comments! Wishing you all the very best for 2023 🥂
Happy new year, everyone! Here are some scenes fro Happy new year, everyone! Here are some scenes from last night with friends in Deptford. My deconstructed avocado ritz; @twinkleparkstephen ‘s bobitie; Giles’ Ottolenghi tomato salad; and Jean’s clementine trifle - and the London night sky ablaze with fireworks!  How did you spend your evening? 🥂🎇🎆
Merry Christmas to all those celebrating - I hope Merry Christmas to all those celebrating - I hope your day was merry and bright, filled with family, friends and love 🎄🥂. Mine was spent alone at home - my choice and the result of a combination of Covid (not mine!) and rail strikes 🤦‍♀️ but very relaxing and indulgent!
Looking for a stylish and easy Christmas starter y Looking for a stylish and easy Christmas starter you can make ahead? Look no further than my individual smoked salmon terrine! Hot smoked salmon, cream cheese and chives wrapped in cold smoked salmon in a ramekin. Still one of the most popular Christmas recipes in my blog, it looks cheffy but is soooo simple to make - and will save you time and effort on the day! Get the recipe by clicking on the link in my bio.

How is your Christmas meal prep going? Are you entertaining at home or going to friends or family? 🎄🥂🎄🥂🎄
Load More... Follow me on Instagram

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

Cooksister

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Bowls of broccoli and Stilton soup
Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2023 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

Copyright © 2023 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT