I thought I'd finally get round to posting all of my favourite home-made liqueurs in a separate thread, so that other people can enjoy them - feel free to add your own to the list!
(Unless it says otherwise, all recipes are for one 750ml bottle of alcohol).
Sloe Gin:
Pour a bottle of gin into a large jar, add sloes until the gin just covers them, and leave to stand for minimum 1 month. Add between 2 and 10 tbsp of sugar according to taste and leave to dissolve. Tastes best after leaving for at least 6 months! (Tip: Freezing the sloes before making the gin causes their skins to brek so the gin can permeate more and bring out the flavours).
Beech Leaf Gin (Noyaux):
Pick a carrier bag full of beech leaves. Roughyl chop and put in a large jar. Cover with gin and leave to stand in the dark for 2-3 weeks, until the gin takes on a yellow/brown/green colour. For every pint of gin, take a 1/2 lb of sugar, boiled in 1/4 pint of water to make a syrup, and add, cold to the gin.
Krupnik (Eastern European Spiced Honey Liqueur):
1 bottle vodka/whisky
450g honey
2 cups water
2 tsp caraway seeds
10 cloves
5 allspice berries
3 sticks cinnamon
1 vanilla pod
1 inch root ginger
5 cardamom pods
1/2 a nutmeg
2 strips orange peel
2 strips lemon peel
Chop/crush the spices and bring to the boil in the water. Simmer until the water is reduced by half. Add the honey while stil hot and stir until dissolved. Pour into a jar, add the vodka and seal. Leave to stand for 24-48 hours. Strain and bottle. Drink straight, or mixed with apple juice.
Linden Liqueur (Lime-Tree Flower Liqueur):
Fill a jar with linden flower buds (pick them when they are just about to open). Cover with a bottle of vodka and leave to steep for minimum of 2 weeks. Add a few tbsp of sugar dissolved in some water to sweeten to taste.
Blackberry Vodka:
Add a cup of blackberries to a bottle of vodka, along with 2 cloves and 3-5 tbsp of sugar. Leave to steep for at least 4-6 weeks.
'Warm Apple Pie':
Chop 3 apples finely and place in a large jar. Add 3 sticks of cinnamon, crushed, 5 cloves a 1/4 nutmeg, and a bottle of vodka. Leave to steep for 2-3 weeks. Strain and serve either straight, or with a mixer of warm apple juice.
New: Hawthorn Liqueur:
The thread on uses for hawthorn reminded me of this one which I've not made in years...
Fill a jar with lightly crushed hawthorn berries. Cover with vodka, add 3-5tbsp of sugar and leave to stand for 5-6 weeks. Strain and serve either straight or mixed with soda water.
(Unless it says otherwise, all recipes are for one 750ml bottle of alcohol).
Sloe Gin:
Pour a bottle of gin into a large jar, add sloes until the gin just covers them, and leave to stand for minimum 1 month. Add between 2 and 10 tbsp of sugar according to taste and leave to dissolve. Tastes best after leaving for at least 6 months! (Tip: Freezing the sloes before making the gin causes their skins to brek so the gin can permeate more and bring out the flavours).
Beech Leaf Gin (Noyaux):
Pick a carrier bag full of beech leaves. Roughyl chop and put in a large jar. Cover with gin and leave to stand in the dark for 2-3 weeks, until the gin takes on a yellow/brown/green colour. For every pint of gin, take a 1/2 lb of sugar, boiled in 1/4 pint of water to make a syrup, and add, cold to the gin.
Krupnik (Eastern European Spiced Honey Liqueur):
1 bottle vodka/whisky
450g honey
2 cups water
2 tsp caraway seeds
10 cloves
5 allspice berries
3 sticks cinnamon
1 vanilla pod
1 inch root ginger
5 cardamom pods
1/2 a nutmeg
2 strips orange peel
2 strips lemon peel
Chop/crush the spices and bring to the boil in the water. Simmer until the water is reduced by half. Add the honey while stil hot and stir until dissolved. Pour into a jar, add the vodka and seal. Leave to stand for 24-48 hours. Strain and bottle. Drink straight, or mixed with apple juice.
Linden Liqueur (Lime-Tree Flower Liqueur):
Fill a jar with linden flower buds (pick them when they are just about to open). Cover with a bottle of vodka and leave to steep for minimum of 2 weeks. Add a few tbsp of sugar dissolved in some water to sweeten to taste.
Blackberry Vodka:
Add a cup of blackberries to a bottle of vodka, along with 2 cloves and 3-5 tbsp of sugar. Leave to steep for at least 4-6 weeks.
'Warm Apple Pie':
Chop 3 apples finely and place in a large jar. Add 3 sticks of cinnamon, crushed, 5 cloves a 1/4 nutmeg, and a bottle of vodka. Leave to steep for 2-3 weeks. Strain and serve either straight, or with a mixer of warm apple juice.
New: Hawthorn Liqueur:
The thread on uses for hawthorn reminded me of this one which I've not made in years...
Fill a jar with lightly crushed hawthorn berries. Cover with vodka, add 3-5tbsp of sugar and leave to stand for 5-6 weeks. Strain and serve either straight or mixed with soda water.
