Homemade Liqueurs... Irish Cream

Irish Cream Liqueur

This is a little different from from our other Liqueur recipes. But it is my favorite over ice or in my coffee. Only lasts a month in the fridge but mine nver does! I drink it too fast.

Ingredients:

Half of a 750 ml. bottle of Irish whiskey (or any American whiskey if that's what you have available)

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 eggs

2 Tbls. chocolate syrup

2 tsp. instant espresso

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

Preparation:

In a blender...Blend all the ingredients, except the whiskey. Then add the whiskey and blend again until thick and frothy.
Serve immediately or put in decorative bottle as a gift. Label it with a custom label & store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
*Contains raw eggs.

Homemade Liqueurs... Cherry flavored

Homemade Cherry Flavored Liqueur
See the last few days for detailed info on the basics of making homemade Liqueurs.

Whole Cherry Liqueur

2 lbs ripe Bing Cherries
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Sliced & scraped peel of 1/2 lemon
2 cups brandy

1 cup vodka

1/2 cup sugar syrup

Pull stems from half of the cherries. Cut the stems from the other half of cherries just at the top so the inner fruit is exposed. Pierce all the cherries down to the stone with 4 or 5 holes. Place cherries in Qt jar. Sprinkle with powdered sugar & let disolve. Add lemon peel & shake gently.

Add brandy & vodka to cover cherries. Close jar & store in warm place (75 degrees) for 6 weeks undisturbed. Strain, filter & squeeze all the juice from the cherries. Add sugar syrup. Shake well & let mature at least 1 week.

Label with custom labels & date.
Serve straight up, or in iced tea

Homemade Liqueurs... Apple flavored

Homemade Apple Flavored Liqueur

See the last few days for detailed info on the basics of making homemade Liqueurs.

Tart Apples:

1 lb granny smith apples

2 cups sugar

2 cloves

Pinch of nutmeg

Sliced & scraped peel of 1 lime or lemon

2 cups vodka or brandy

Cut ripe apples into about 8 pieces & remove coore but don't peel. Place all ingred. in a tightly closed jar & set in the sun for several days or until sugar is disolved & been absorbed. Strain & filter. Mature 2-3 weeks.

Sweet Apples:

1 lb Red Delicious Apples

2 cloves

Pinch of cinnamon

2 cups of vodka or brandy

1 cup sugar syrup

Cut apples in halves or quarters & removethe cores but do not peel. Place apples, cloves, cinnamon & alcohol in a jar. Cap & let steep 2 weeks. Strain and filter. Add sugar syrup. Mature 2-3 months.

Label with custom labels & date.

Serve straight up, in iced tea or make "appletinis"

Homemade Liqueurs... Orange flavored

Curacao has become the generic term for orange liqueur.


Triple Sec is a blend of oranges & cloves.










The general procedure for Orange Liqueur is as follows:


1: prepare the Fruit, flavoring & add alcohol base.


2: Steep 2-3 weeks. Turn & shake gently every few days during this time.


3: Strain & filter


4: Add sugar surup (from yesterday's blog)


5: Let Mature





Whole Oranges (or tangerines):


3 whole sweet oranges, cut into wedges


1/2 lemon


2 whole cloves


3 cups vodka


1 cup sugar syrup.


Place oranges, lemon, cloves & vodka in a jar (vodka should cover fruit) and steep 10 days. Strain & filter. Add sugar syup & let mature 3-4 weeks.


Label with custom label & write date on it.





Orange Juice:


4 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice.


Scraped & sliced peel of 1 orange


1 1/2 cups vodka or 1/2 vodka & 1/2 brandy


1 cup Sugar syrup


Combine juice, peel & alcohol. Steep 4 weeks, Strain, filter & add syrup.

Serve straight up, over ice, add to OJ or Iced Tea.

Homemade Liqueurs... Basics

A great gift for friends & family. The next few days we will be giving some tips, recipes & how to cook with Homemade Liqueurs.

Today is the Basics on getting started & how to make just about any Liqueur.

The ingredients and equipment you need are easily available & very uncomplicated. The proceedure is like making tea. Steeping fruits or berries in an alcohol base such as vodka or brandy and a sweetener is added.

Sweeteners are mostly a sugar syrup made up of 2 parts sugar & 1 part water, boiled together for about 5 min. till sugar is disolved. (1 cup sugar & 1/2 cup water makes 1 cup syup)

Containers... GLASS bottles (do no use plastics) with a cover.

Wide mouth gallon & quart jars for mixing & steeping the fruit.

Washed mayo jars work great.

Jars for aging can have a narrow neck. Any bottle, including dark beer bottles work fine. Wash & sterilize bottles by either putting in dishwasher or pouring boiling water into them.

Funnels, corks or screw on caps & straining equipment ( wire strainer & cheesecloth or coffee filters).

Decorative custom bottle labels to add to your bottles.

Come back tomorrow when we start with some great recipes for Homemade Liqueurs!