Liqueurs are sweet, concentrated alcoholic beverages flavored with fruits, herbs, chocolate or coffee. With their jewel-like colors and delectable aromas, liqueurs make the perfect ending to a dinner party or a romantic evening. You can find brand-name liqueurs to suit every taste, but it's even more fun (and less expensive) to experiment with making your own. Follow this basic recipe to make a fruit liqueur.
Instructions
1. Choose the fruit to flavor your liqueur recipe. You can stick with one fruit, such as peaches, or go with a complementary combination, such as oranges and cranberries. Select firm, juicy, ripe fruits with no soft spots or signs of decay.
2. Wash the fruit and chop it coarsely. You do not need to peel the fruit or remove pits from peaches and other stone fruits. Crush berries slightly to release their flavor, but do not puree them. Place the fruit in a 1.5 liter glass jar, packing it loosely until the jar is about three-quarters full.
3. Cover the fruit with vodka, letting it fill up all the spaces in the jar until the liquid is about one half inch from the top. Seal the lid of the jar tightly, and put it in a cool, dark place to steep for two weeks.
4. Open the jar and strain the steeped liquid through a sieve or colander into another jar to remove the large solids. Then filter it again, this time pouring the liquid through a coffee filter or a colander lined with paper towels. Repeat this process several times, replacing the filter or paper towels each time, until you have removed as much fine sediment as you can.
5. Make a simple sugar syrup by boiling 2 parts sugar in 1 part water, stirring until the sugar has dissolved completely. Let the syrup cool, and use it to sweeten your liqueur. The best ratio is usually 1 part sugar syrup to 3 parts liqueur, but you can taste to adjust the sweetening level. Use more sweetener if you start with tart fruit.
6. Use a funnel lined with paper towels to strain your sweetened liqueur into individual bottles. Cap the bottles or seal them with corks, making sure the seal is airtight. Store the bottles in a cool, dark place for up to three months to age. Taste for quality. Then proudly serve your homemade fruit liqueur, or give it as a gift.
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