Post by Granny Smith on Apr 5, 2008 17:10:42 GMT -5
HOMEMADE LIQUEURS MAKE CORDIAL GIFTS
Homemade liqueurs or cordials add a festive and pleasant touch at the end of dinner. They are easy to make. These delicious concoctions of liquor and other flavors are usually associated with expensive tastes, but they don't have to be expensive. Homemade cordials are just as flavorful as the commercially made varieties and certainly don't cost as much. It takes very little equipment or effort to make cordials.
Clean quart jars are perfect for steeping and aging, and inexpensive decorative bottles can hold the final product as gifts or for serving. The base for many liqueurs is vodka, and you don't need a high priced brand. When making cordials with other liquors, be sure the liquor has a smooth and not raw taste. High price doesn't necessarily mean better. The flavoring ingredients are not exotic. Most liqueurs are made with fresh or frozen berries, and spices you probably have on the shelf, sugar o corn syrup and extract flavorings. Once the ingredients are assembled, simply mix according to the recipe, set the container aside for a week to four weeks, and shake or stir periodically during the aging. Cordials are made with fruit and must be strained through cheesecloth before pouring into decorative bottles. Liqueurs are delicious for toasting the season and they also add an aroma and a hint of flavor to sauces, salad dressings, breads and soups. They also can be poured over cakes, custards and ice creams for dessert. If you're giving liqueurs as gifts, there's no reason to wrap them. Just tie a festive bow with a sprig of holly or pine on the bottle and you have a pretty tasty gift. Cheers!
COFFEE LIQUEUR
3 cups sugar
1 quart (4 cups) water
10 teaspoons instant coffee
1 vanilla bean or 3 to 4 tablespoons vanilla
3 cups vodka
In saucepan combine sugar and water, bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Add coffee and vanilla.
Cool and add vodka.
CRANBERRY CORDIAL
1 package (12 ounces) cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2 cups light corn syrup
2 cups (80 proof) vodka
1 cup water
1/2 cup brandy
In large glass jar or container, stir together cranberries and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Stir in corn syrup, vodka, water and brandy until well-blended. Loosely cover. Let stand at room temperature at least a week, stirring each day.
Strain the liquid through four layers of damp cheesecloth.
Reserve cranberries for topping on ice cream, if desired.
Store cordial tightly covered in refrigerator.
Makes about one-and-one half quarts.
RASPBERRY CORDIAL
1 fifth of whiskey
4 packages (10 ounces each) frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
Scant one-fourth cup lemon juice
Mix whiskey and raspberries together and let stand for eight to 10 days in covered glass container. Strain and throw out raspberries. Bring sugar and water to a boil and cool. Add to whiskey, then add lemon juice. Strain again and bottle. Does not need to be refrigerated.
Makes two fifths
HOMEMADE IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR
1 3/4 cups liquor (Irish whiskey, brandy, rum, bourbon, scotch or rye whiskey)
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (1/2 pint) whipping or coffee cream
4 eggs
2 tablespoons chocolate flavored syrup
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
In blender, combine liquor, condensed milk, whipping cream, eggs, chocolate syrup, instant coffee and extracts. Blend until smooth. Serve over ice if desired. Store tightly covered in refrigerator up to one month. Stir before serving. Mixer method: In large mixer bowl, beat eggs; beat in remaining ingredients until smooth and well-blended. Proceed as above.
CREME DE MENTHE
Basic sugar syrup:
1 lemon
3 cups sugar
2 cups water
Liqueur:
1 1/3 cups vodka
1 1/4 cups basic sugar syrup
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 teaspoons vanilla
few drops green food coloring
For sugar syrup, pare very thinly the rind of the lemon (no white). Blot peel on paper toweling to remove excess oil. Combine sugar, water and peel in a large saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring often. Lower heat, stir for five minutes. Strain syrup into a glass container and cool to room temperature before preparing liqueur.
Makes 3 3/4 cups.
For liqueur, combine vodka, one and one-fourth cups sugar syrup, peppermint extract and vanilla in a four-cup screw-top jar, stir in just enough green food coloring to tint liquid a bright green. Close jar.
Store in a cool , dark place for at least one week.
Makes 1 1/4 pints.
Homemade liqueurs or cordials add a festive and pleasant touch at the end of dinner. They are easy to make. These delicious concoctions of liquor and other flavors are usually associated with expensive tastes, but they don't have to be expensive. Homemade cordials are just as flavorful as the commercially made varieties and certainly don't cost as much. It takes very little equipment or effort to make cordials.
Clean quart jars are perfect for steeping and aging, and inexpensive decorative bottles can hold the final product as gifts or for serving. The base for many liqueurs is vodka, and you don't need a high priced brand. When making cordials with other liquors, be sure the liquor has a smooth and not raw taste. High price doesn't necessarily mean better. The flavoring ingredients are not exotic. Most liqueurs are made with fresh or frozen berries, and spices you probably have on the shelf, sugar o corn syrup and extract flavorings. Once the ingredients are assembled, simply mix according to the recipe, set the container aside for a week to four weeks, and shake or stir periodically during the aging. Cordials are made with fruit and must be strained through cheesecloth before pouring into decorative bottles. Liqueurs are delicious for toasting the season and they also add an aroma and a hint of flavor to sauces, salad dressings, breads and soups. They also can be poured over cakes, custards and ice creams for dessert. If you're giving liqueurs as gifts, there's no reason to wrap them. Just tie a festive bow with a sprig of holly or pine on the bottle and you have a pretty tasty gift. Cheers!
COFFEE LIQUEUR
3 cups sugar
1 quart (4 cups) water
10 teaspoons instant coffee
1 vanilla bean or 3 to 4 tablespoons vanilla
3 cups vodka
In saucepan combine sugar and water, bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Add coffee and vanilla.
Cool and add vodka.
CRANBERRY CORDIAL
1 package (12 ounces) cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2 cups light corn syrup
2 cups (80 proof) vodka
1 cup water
1/2 cup brandy
In large glass jar or container, stir together cranberries and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Stir in corn syrup, vodka, water and brandy until well-blended. Loosely cover. Let stand at room temperature at least a week, stirring each day.
Strain the liquid through four layers of damp cheesecloth.
Reserve cranberries for topping on ice cream, if desired.
Store cordial tightly covered in refrigerator.
Makes about one-and-one half quarts.
RASPBERRY CORDIAL
1 fifth of whiskey
4 packages (10 ounces each) frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
Scant one-fourth cup lemon juice
Mix whiskey and raspberries together and let stand for eight to 10 days in covered glass container. Strain and throw out raspberries. Bring sugar and water to a boil and cool. Add to whiskey, then add lemon juice. Strain again and bottle. Does not need to be refrigerated.
Makes two fifths
HOMEMADE IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR
1 3/4 cups liquor (Irish whiskey, brandy, rum, bourbon, scotch or rye whiskey)
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (1/2 pint) whipping or coffee cream
4 eggs
2 tablespoons chocolate flavored syrup
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
In blender, combine liquor, condensed milk, whipping cream, eggs, chocolate syrup, instant coffee and extracts. Blend until smooth. Serve over ice if desired. Store tightly covered in refrigerator up to one month. Stir before serving. Mixer method: In large mixer bowl, beat eggs; beat in remaining ingredients until smooth and well-blended. Proceed as above.
CREME DE MENTHE
Basic sugar syrup:
1 lemon
3 cups sugar
2 cups water
Liqueur:
1 1/3 cups vodka
1 1/4 cups basic sugar syrup
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 teaspoons vanilla
few drops green food coloring
For sugar syrup, pare very thinly the rind of the lemon (no white). Blot peel on paper toweling to remove excess oil. Combine sugar, water and peel in a large saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring often. Lower heat, stir for five minutes. Strain syrup into a glass container and cool to room temperature before preparing liqueur.
Makes 3 3/4 cups.
For liqueur, combine vodka, one and one-fourth cups sugar syrup, peppermint extract and vanilla in a four-cup screw-top jar, stir in just enough green food coloring to tint liquid a bright green. Close jar.
Store in a cool , dark place for at least one week.
Makes 1 1/4 pints.