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Homemade Liqueurs and Cordials

16 years ago

Does anyone make these? On a whim, after receiving a box of oranges for Christmas, I started a batch of orange liqueur. It's still infusing in a jar, but I plan on adding the sugar syrup and bottling this week. If it turns out well, I look forward to making more using other seasonal fruits this summer.

Anyone have any tips, recipes, or stories to share. Pictures would be great too.

Cheers,

Ben

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Comments (12)

readinglady
16 years ago
Here's a recent thread on liqueurs. For some reason it didn't come up in a search. I only found it by back-tracking a few pages.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Liqueur Making Questions
joybugaloo
16 years ago
Funny you should mention! I am working on my inaugural batch of limoncello which should be ready in a few more days. I read a long thread about it on egullet, I believe, and it sounded easy and delicious. And since citrus is so cheap right now, why not? Basically, you zest a dozen lemons and one lime and macerate the zest in a bottle of 100-proof vodka for two weeks in a glass jar. Then you strain out the zest, add an equal portion of simple syrup, and another bottle of regular (80-proof) vodka. That's it. Bottle it up and store in the freezer so that it becomes viscous. I'll report back if mine turns out to be drinkable! --Gina

Here is a link that might be useful: Lindsey's Luscious
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Most keep forever.....the 2 weeks mean at least 2 weeks...more is fine. The only exceptions are those with cream and eggs like Irish cream liquors. But fruit, sugar and alcohol keeps forever. Linda C
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I always keep some on hand, and I put it on home-made vanilla ice cream. Shaun's recipe looks good, and I might try that. I haven't had cheap chocolate liqueur, but if Linda recommends it for chocolate martinis, I might have to look for some. I don't really like having it by itself, but I have mixed it with Frangelico or Amaretto (I prefer Frangelico). Lars
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Comments (10)
These are beyond delicious . Not as difficult as it sounds. All the piece parts can be made well in advance and then just assembled for serving. Dulce De Leche Cream Puffs With Frangelico And Hazelnuts Puffs 1 Cup water 1/2 Cup unsalted butter 1/2 Tsp salt 1 Cup AP flour 4 cold eggs 1/2 Cup chopped hazelnuts Filling 3/4 Cup dulce de leche at room temp 2 1/4 Cup 18% cream 4 Tbl sugar divided pinch salt 3 Tbl AP flour 3 egg yolks 2 Tbl Frangelico 1/2 Tsp vanilla Sauce 3/4 Cup dulce de leche at room temp 2 Tbl Frangelico 1/2 Tsp vanilla 1/4 Cup chopped hazelnuts (optional) Preheat oven to 425. Place rack just below oven centre. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Heat water, butter and salt in a sauce pan over medium heat until water is quite hot and butter melts. Add flour and stir frequently for 3 to 5 minutes, or until mixture easily forms large smooth ball Place ball in bowl of mixer , break up by mixing briefly with paddle. Cool 5 minutes then beat in eggs 1 at a time on low to medium speed until well mixed. Using a spatula fold in hazelnuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on the prepared pan. Using wet hands shape into 2 inch rounds leaving the tops somewhat rough. Bake 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 and bake another 25 minutes or until deeply golden. Turn off oven and open door, Let puffs cool in the oven for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. (can be made weeks ahead and frozen. To restore crispness reheat in a 350 oven for 10 minutes or until puffs feel dry and crisp) To make filling whisk room temp DDL (dulce de leche) while gradually adding cream until smooth. Stir in 2 TBSP sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat whisking occasionally. Meanwhile in a small bowl stir remaining 2 TBSP of sugar with flour, stir in egg yolks and Frangelico.~ When cream is quite hot to the touch stir 3 TBSP into the egg mixture to temper the egg mixture. Whisking briskly, pour egg mixture into hot cream. Stir constantly 3 minutes or until mixture thickens, becomes glossy and whisk leaves a trail in the filling. Stir in vanilla. Turn into a metal bowl. Cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the cream surface. Refrigerate immediately. Use when cold. Keeps 2 to 3 days. To make sauce, stir DDL in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in Frangelico 1 TBSP at a time. Stir in vanilla. Sauce can be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temp or heat until barley warm to serve. To assemble puffs. Cut each puff in half horizontally, Divide filling among bottom halves. Replace tops. Serve drizzled with the sauce and scattered with hazelnuts. Makes 12.~ Dulce de Leche 2 to 4 cans sweetened condensed milk (300 ml each) Preheat oven to 425 Remove labels and tops from cans.Cover each can with foil , pressing firmly about 1/2 way down outside of can. Place in a large flat bottom casserole dish. Pour boiling water into dish until 1/2 inch from the tops of the cans. Cover with casserole lid. Bake for 2 hours without disturbing except to check to see if you need to add water. Add more water if level drops dramatically. After 2 hours lift cans from water bath. Cool on a rack with foil still in place. The refrigerator for up to a week or freeze. Cold DDL is very thick so bring to room temp before stirring. Each can makes 1 1/4 cup DDL.
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I use fingers first then spray water to get the squished ones off and any thing I might have missed. If all else fails get a spritzer bottle and put a drop of dish soap in it and fill with water and spritz them. The soap dries them up and they fall off. You have to do it several days in a row to get all the new eggs as they keep hatching.
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SuzyQ2
16 years ago
I've regularly made limoncello in the past with very good results :-) This year (based on the thread Carol posted above), I made some cranberry liquor. It's still seeping, so I'm not sure how it will turn out.....but if looks count for anything, it is a very pretty red.
dancinglemons
16 years ago
I was just about to post a question about making limoncello. Thanks!! I am thinking some orange liquor will be in order now also.

DL
ben_950
Original Author
16 years ago
Well, I strained the vodka last night (3 cups), which had been steeping for over a week. It had great aroma and a nice yellow color. I then mixed in one cup of sugar syrup per the recipe. It still has a very harsh alcohol flavor up front that I hope will diminish as it matures. It would be nice if there was farm fresh in season right now to try more recipes with.

I got the recipe from a very informative site, see below.

Ben

Here is a link that might be useful: Liqueur Recipes and How-To's
readinglady
16 years ago
That's the site I linked to in the other thread.

Many of these liqueurs really need months of aging to mellow.

Carol
ksrogers
16 years ago
Not sure if they make them anymore, but here used to be a maker of a concentrates in small bottles that had vodka or other alcohol added. There were several popular flavors. I think you can still find these in larger liquor stores. Some have glycerin added to help it to be smoother tasting.
jimster
16 years ago
I've made cordials from wild black cherries and from wine berries (a wild berry similar to, but not the same as, red raspberries. The color of each was sensational and the taste was very good. The cherry cordial was deep garnet red. The wine berry cordial was a beautiful rosy pink. My purpose was to preserve the essence of those fruits, which were not useful for most other purposes in the small quantities I had them.

I used vodka in about twice the volume of the fruit and added a cup or so of sugar to the partial liter bottle at the same time. Not very specific I know, but I think the proportions are not critical. Just be sure there is an ample quantity of spirits so spoilage doesn't happen.

I let the cordials age in a cupboard for several months, shaking them up occasionally. Then I strained them. There was no trouble at all with clarity.

I had intended to make a blackberry cordial, but somehow I missed the peak of the season. I want to make some citrus cordials now. I will use the zest. Later, maybe I will attempt something like Benedictine or Chartreuse. That would be a fun challenge.

Making cordials takes very little effort and pays off with a nice product.

Jim
joybugaloo
16 years ago
Below is the link to the thread I mentioned from egullet about making limoncello for those who are interested.

--Gina
lindseysluscious.blogspot.com

Here is a link that might be useful: Limoncello Thread on eGullet
joybugaloo
16 years ago
Hey, folks! I just posted some pictures of my first batch of homemade limoncello on my blog. If anyone would like to see, click on the link below.

--Gina

Here is a link that might be useful: Lindsey's Luscious
annie1992
16 years ago
Gina, that's a lovely picture of the lemon peel floating in that glass!

I think Elery and I will start a rumtopf about June. Other than that, we made a batch of Zinfandel which is still "aging", no liquers.

Annie
karen_b
16 years ago
I made a raspberry liqueur with vodka and it is very good. I took a seminar at a festival and they recommended grain alcohol for best fruit flavor, but if you couldn't find it vodka could be substituted.

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