King Alphonse

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A King Alphonse is a sweet alcoholic drink that is generally consumed after dinner, thereby falling into the category of digestif or pousse-café. It consists of an ounce or so of chocolate-based liqueur such as Kahlua or Tia Maria poured into a sherry or pousse-café glass, then carefully topped ("floated") by a small amount of heavy cream, so that two distinct layers are apparent in the glass. The layer of cream is generally no more than about one quarter of an inch thick.

A search for King Alphonse recipes reveals that confusion has arisen over the years as to whether this is the same recipe as that of two similar drinks, an Angel tip and a Sombrero. Both these drinks use the same ingredients, but the proportions in each of them now seems to vary widely, some recipes specifying as much as a glassful of cream instead of a modest teaspoon or so; in addition, some recipes for the Sombrero direct that the coffee liqueur and cream should be stirred or shaken together.

See also

• Catalog of cocktails