Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

------------------------INSTRUCTION-----------------------------

EQUIPMENT: Making liqueurs at home does not require anything really
'special' in the way of equipment. You will need some, but not all
of the following:

AGING CONTAINERS: Glass jars with lids (wide mouth, 1 qt or larger are
best) Ceramic crock with lid Ceramic bowls/glass bottles and/or
decanters with either screw on lids/caps or cork/glass cap

STRAINERS: Metal colander fine wire mesh strainer cloth jelly bag
white cotton or linen cloth cheesecloth paper coffee filters

MISCELLANEOUS: Wooden spoon Glass or metal measuring cups metal
measuring spoons metal funnel

PREPARATION OF EQUIPMENT: The aging containers should be properly
cleaned before use. First, wash them thoroughly with a mixture of
baking soda and water. The container should be sterilized by either
boiling them in water for 15 minutes or putting them through a full
dishwasher cycle without any detergent.

TYPES OF EQUIPMENT: Kitchen utensils used for liqueur making, such as
measuring cups, funnels etc. should not be made of plastic. (Plastic
can impart an off flavour to liqueurs.) Metal, ceramic or glass are
preferred.

Straining is one of the most important steps in obtaining a clear,
quality liqueur. A large holed metal colander will strain large
pieces but you will need finer straining material for smaller pieces
and for your last fine straining. If cheesecloth is used, you will
need several thicknesses, which can be discarded after use.

The most efficient fine straining is done with either a cloth
jelly-bag or with a clean cotton or linen cloth laid inside a
strainer. These clothes may be washed and re-used. Some prefer to
use disposable paper coffee filters for this step, however, they are
too dense for some of the thicker liqueurs. We recommend that you
test a small amount first if you wish to use this method. Try
various strainers to see which you prefer.

Bottles and Decanters:

You will need an assortment of clean bottles or decanters to hold the
finished product. For home storage, wine bottles with metal screw on
tops are frequently the most practical container.

For gift giving, small unusual glass bottles with metal screw on top,
such as condiment, vinegar and small wine bottles, are excellent. Many
interesting bottles also can be found in kitchen, glass, gourmet,
herb and wine making shops.

Glass decanters are elegant containers in which to serve or give your
special liqueurs. Good places to find inexpensive decanters are
garage or rummage sales and second hand shops.

Decanters frequently have glass tops with a cork insert. This is
fine as long as the cork is clean.

Containers which have held something other than food or beverage can
be difficult to clean and may tranfer an offensive or dangerous taste
to your liqueur. Therefore, their use is not recommended.

Plastic containers should not be used when making or storing
liqueurs. It is also best to avoid all plastic or plastic lined caps.
The reason for this is that the flavour from the plastic can be
transferred to the liqueur. The occasional exception is when plastic
wrap is laid across a ceramic bowl in the early stages or to shield
an uncoated metal lid from corroding. For example, canning jar lids
are usually coated inside; mayonnaise jar lids are not. Plastic wrap
may be used if it does not touch the liqueur.

Cork may be used if you wish, but remember that corks allow
evaporation. You may wish to seal the cork with wax or foil to avoid
this.

Ingredients:

When making any recipe, remember that it is the quality of the
ingredients used that determines the final result. There are three
main types of ingredients to consider in liqueur making. They are
alcohol, flavorings and water.

Alcohol: There are a number of types of alcohol bases used in liqueur
making. The two most frequently used are 180 to 190 proof pure grain
alcohol and 80 to 100 proof vodka. Both are easily obtained at a
liquor store (U.S.).

Pure grain alcohol is a neutral sprit which will be diluted half and
half with water. It has no taste of its own to interfere with the
liqueur flavorings. When purchasing a pure grain alcohol, you do not
have to be concerned with which brand to buy; all are equal.

Vodka, like pure grain alcohol, is a neutral spirit usually made from
distilled grains and is an ideal base in liqueur making. However,
there are differences from brand to brand. The purifying and
refining processes of the distiller determines the end quality. Good
vodka should be colorless, aromaless and have no real taste of its
own. Take time to find the smoothest vodka in your price range.
Either 80 or 100 proof vodka is acceptable.
Submitted By HELEN PEAGRAM On 04-12-95

Browse by categories