Cranberry Liqueur
You can do more with cranberries than make sauce. Not that I don’t like cranberry sauce, I do. I love cranberry season and find myself using them in all sorts of recipes.
In the next couple of weeks, I will be posting homemade gift ideas. This is one of my favorites!!
I got the recipe from my sister Cindy, many years ago. It is also called Cranberry Bounce. If you start a batch now, it will be ready to drink, and for gifting, in just a couple of weeks.
Cranberries, sugar and vodka. What a great combination. It’s simple to make and it makes a nice gift, too.
The color is absolutely beautiful. The sweet/tart finished product can be enjoyed by just sipping, on the rocks, or mixed with club soda. It can also be a nice addition to all sorts of cocktails.
Often after Thanksgiving, the price of cranberries goes down. I stock up on them, freeze some and make a batch, or two of cranberry liqueur. This year, even before Thanksgiving, I found a few bargains. .
I hope you give it a try. I am sure you will be pleased with the results.
Cranberry Liqueur
1 lb. fresh cranberries (most bags are 12 oz.)
2 c. sugar
4 c. vodka- at least 80 proof
Grind berries fine in food mill or food processor. Place in large jar and combine with the sugar. Let stand, covered until sugar is dissolved completely, several hours or overnight. Add vodka and let steep 1-3 weeks, stirring occasionally. Strain and filter. Makes 5 cups.
Note: Drained cranberries can be saved in fridge and used, sparingly, in desserts, fruit salads and on cake or ice cream. They do pack a punch.
Elderflower Liqueur
I make a lot of different liqueurs, most of which are fruit based. This one is quite different. This liqueur is made from the flowers of elderberry bushes. It has a sweet, slightly spicy flavor. Since my elderberry is blooming, it is time to harvest some of the blossoms and get started. They will been steeped in vodka- gin also works- then strained and sweetened. Could not be easier.
It is important to use ONLY THE BLOSSOMS. Elderberry stems and branches are toxic. It takes a few extra minutes, but get those flowers off the stems. Here is the recipe, with a few notes on options for sweetness levels.
Elderflower Liqueur
10 elderflower blossoms
2 c. vodka or gin
1/4 -1/2 c. sugar*
Remove all the flowers from the stems. They are small and it seems tedious, but it is important to get as many stem pieces off as possible. Place in a clean jar and pour over the alcohol. Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid and place in a cool dark place for at least a week or two. Strain out the flowers, using several layers of cheesecloth to get the liquid as clear as possible. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Return to jar, cover and let sit a few days before checking sweetness levels. You might want to add a little more sugar. Place in a pretty bottle and store in a dark place. Enjoy!! Makes 2 cups.
*You can add a lot more sugar, creating more of an elderflower cordial or syrup. It’s all about personal preference and how you want to use the liqueur. Add in 1/4 cup amounts, stirring to dissolve before adding more.
Lemon Liqueur
Lemon Peels in Vodka
I make homemade liqueurs throughout the year, using seasonal fruits. Fall and winter are best for citrus, so it is lemon liqueur time!!! All you need to get started is a jar, some vodka and lemons. Since you are using the peels, best to use organic lemons, if you can find them. Use a vegetable peeler to get just the yellow part of the lemon peel. A little of the white is OK, but too much will make your liqueur bitter. Combine the peels with the vodka in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Now it’s just a waiting game. Once the peels have steeped long enough to flavor the vodka, just sweeten, if you like, and let the liqueur mature a little longer. Well worth the wait. You can use the same recipe to make lime liqueur, too. You can also use half lemon and half lime peels in the same batch for lemon/lime liqueur. You can also add other flavors, like mint, to your mixture.
Homemade Lemon Liqueur
8 lemons
3 c. vodka
1 c. sugar syrup
Peel lemons using a vegetable peeler. Use only the yellow part of the peel. If you get larger pieces of the white pith, scrape off and discard. Place peels in jar with the vodka. Cover and place in a cupboard.
Steep peels 2-3 weeks. Strain and filter and add sugar syrup. Mature 1-2 weeks.
Note: you can also make lime liqueur with the peels of 8 limes, or use 4 lemons and 4 limes for a lemon-lime liqueur.
Variation: You can also use rum as the base for a great daiquiri!
Note: To make citrus flavors without the peels substitute 2 t. pure extracts for the fruit and add sugar syrup right away. Just steep a few days to mature a little.
Also, lemon or lime are terrific unsweetened, to add to other cocktails. You can make some without the added simple syrup.
Cherry Vanilla Liqueur
Cherry Vanilla Liqueur
I bought a lot of cherries, with plans to make jam and to dehydrate some. Maybe even make pie filling. But it is really hot here today, so I decided to use some of the cherries to make cherry liqueur, instead. It is easy, and the reward is having this lovely liqueur to enjoy even when cherries aren’t in season. I added a couple of vanilla beans to mine, but you can leave them out, if you prefer. You could also add 1-2 tablespoons of vanilla extract.
Cherry Vanilla Liqueur
2 c. granulated sugar
4 c. vodka or brandy
1 lb. large, washed, stemmed and pitted sweet cherries
2 (6-7 inch) vanilla beans, broken into several pieces
Place sugar and vodka or brandy in a large jar- I used a half gallon canning jar. Stir until sugar is mostly dissolved. Add cherries and vanilla and cover jar. Do not stir. Place in a cool, dark place for 3 months, without stirring or shaking. Strain and filter. Divine! Makes 4-6 cups.
Homemade Cherry-Vanilla Liqueur
Cherry Vanilla Liqueur
I bought a lot of cherries, with plans to make jam and to dehydrate some. Maybe even make pie filling. But it is really hot here today, so I decided to use some of the cherries to make cherry liqueur, instead. It is easy, and the reward is having this lovely liqueur to enjoy even when cherries aren’t in season. I added a couple of vanilla beans to mine, but you can leave them out, if you prefer. You could also add 1-2 tablespoons of vanilla extract.
Cherry Vanilla Liqueur
2 c. granulated sugar
4 c. vodka or brandy
1 lb. large, washed, stemmed and pitted sweet cherries
2 (6-7 inch) vanilla beans, broken into several pieces
Place sugar and vodka or brandy in a large jar- I used a half gallon canning jar. Stir until sugar is mostly dissolved. Add cherries and vanilla and cover jar. Do not stir. Place in a cool, dark place for 3 months, without stirring or shaking. Strain and filter. Divine! Makes 4-6 cups.
