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The Platinum Blonde shares its name with the 1931 Frank Capra film starring Jean Harlow, whose pale hair made the phrase famous, and whether the drink was named for the movie or just for its color, it has a little of that old Hollywood glamour. Grand Marnier, gold rum and heavy cream are shaken together and served in a brandy snifter, making it a rich, smooth after-dinner sipper.
Grand Marnier is a blend of cognac and bitter orange, so it brings both brandy warmth and a bright citrus note. Gold rum adds vanilla, caramel and a bit more body, and the cream ties it all together into something that tastes a lot like an orange creamsicle for grown-ups. Shaking matters here, since it chills the drink, softens the alcohol and gives the cream a light, silky texture. It is close kin to the Platina Blonde, its simpler tequila-based neighbor in our archive.
Glass: Brandy snifter | Strength: Medium | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 3 minutes
Bartenders tip: Shake hard with plenty of ice for a good 15 seconds so the cream turns light and frothy. Strain it into the snifter with no ice in the glass, since the wide bowl lets you swirl it and catch the orange aroma. Light cream or half-and-half makes a thinner drink if heavy cream feels too rich. An aged rum with some vanilla character, like Appleton or Mount Gay, works best.
