Homemade Liqueurs and Infused Spirits: Innovative Flavor Combinations, Plus Homemade Versions of Kahlúa, Cointreau, and Other Popular Liqueurs (16 page)
Authors: Andrew Schloss
Tags: #liquor, #cofee, #home cocktails, #cocktails, #liqueurs, #popular liqueurs, #spirits, #creamy, #kahlua, #unsweetened infused, #flavored alcohol, #bar recipes, #sweetners, #distilled, #herbal, #nutty, #creative coctails, #flowery, #infused spirits, #clones, #flavorings, #margarita, #home bar, #recipes, #cointreau, #cocktail recipes, #alcohol, #caramel, #homemade liqueurs, #fruity, #flavoring alcohol
We know that alcohol is excellent at picking up flavor molecules and antioxidants from herbs and spices and transporting them into our bodies, but what about latching onto reputed aphrodisiacs? Ginseng root contains ginsenosides, compounds that have been shown to stimulate erectile function in laboratory animals, and pomegranate is supposed to boost fertility. I’ve been drinking this liqueur for some time, and while I prefer to remain mum on its effects, I can attest that it is beautifully balanced, fruity, and aromatic, and it’s a spectacular color — sunset flame.
Makes about 1 quart
- 1 fifth (750 ml/3
1
⁄
4
cups) gin (80 proof) - Finely grated zest of 3 oranges
- Seeds from 1 pomegranate, bruised
- 43-inch pieces of ginseng root, broken into small pieces
- 1
⁄
4
cup anise seeds, crushed - Big pinch of sea salt
- 1 cup honey
- 1.
Combine the gin, orange zest, pomegranate seeds, ginseng, anise seeds, and salt in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything. - 2.
Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of citrus and anise, 3 to 5 days. - 3.
Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid. - 4.
Stir in the honey. - 5.
Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
Prost!
Sip it straight anytime or over a rock on a sultry afternoon, or make a Brandy Sazerac (
page 249
).
Copycat Spiced Rum
Spiced rum is another name for rum liqueur, in which rum (usually golden rum, although sometime light rum and caramel coloring are used) is tinctured with a variety of spices. Our version is rich and head-turning, combining volatiles of licorice (star anise), camphor (cardamom), capsaicin (guajillo chiles), and vanillin (vanilla beans). Whereas light and golden rums are often used for mixed drinks, complex aged and spiced rums are usually served by themselves.
Makes about 1 quart
- 1 fifth (750 ml/3
1
⁄
4
cups) dark rum (80 proof) - 20 star anise, crushed
- 20 cardamom pods, crushed
- 1 dried guajillo chile, seeded and chopped
- 2 vanilla beans (Madagascar or Bourbon), split
- 1
⁄
4
cup honey
- 1.
Combine the rum, star anise, cardamom, chile, and vanilla in a glass jar. Stir to moisten everything. - 2.
Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid is very aromatic, 1 to 2 days. - 3.
Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid. You should have a little more than 2
3
⁄
4
cups. - 4.
Stir in the honey. - 5.
Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
L’chaim!
Enjoy either straight up or on the rocks.
This exotic blend of super-ripe mango, ginger, coconut, and vanilla (the fruit of a tropical orchid) is so exquisitely delicious that it wouldn’t have to deliver anything more than sensual delight to be worthy of praise, but I’ll be damned if it’s not healthy to boot. Mango is high in antioxidants, especially its peel, which is included in this tincture. Coconut milk raises HDL (“good”) cholesterol in the blood, and ginger helps inhibit the production of free radicals throughout the body.
Makes about 1 quart
- 1 fifth (750 ml/3
1
⁄
4
cups) light rum (80 proof) - 1 very ripe mango, flesh and peel coarsely chopped
- 1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger, minced or shredded
- 2 vanilla beans (Madagascar or Bourbon), split
- 1 cup
Coconut Cream Simple Syrup
- 1.
Combine the rum, mango, ginger, and vanilla in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything. - 2.
Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of ginger and vanilla, 3 to 5 days. - 3.
Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid. - 4.
Stir in the simple syrup. - 5.
Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
Sláinte!
As you might suspect, this liqueur makes an excellent Mango Colada (
page 252
).
Licorice root, Malabar peppercorns, and Madagascar vanilla beans have little in common, except that all three are black. Black foods are relatively rare, so when three disparate ingredients come together through something as basic as black, you have to give them a whirl and see what happens. In this case, the licorice radiates flavor, the vanilla slinks in sweetly, and the pepper spanks the taste buds. This is not a monastic liqueur. Like anything that is barely self-contained, it’s best to leave it alone; add a taming spritz of soda if you must.
Makes about 1 quart
- 1 fifth (750 ml/3
1
⁄
4
cups) vodka (80–100 proof) - 1
⁄
2
cup licorice root pieces - 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
- 1 vanilla bean (Madagascar or Bourbon), split
- Big pinch of sea salt
- 1 cup
Simple Syrup
- 1.
Combine the vodka, licorice root, black pepper, vanilla, and salt in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything. - 2.
Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of licorice, 1 to 2 days. - 3.
Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid. - 4.
Stir in the simple syrup. - 5.
Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
Unrelated to
Piper nigrum
, Tasmanian peppercorns are the fruit of a bush in the genus
Tasmannia
. The peppercorn is large and somewhat chewy, like a juniper berry, and its flavor is not unlike juniper blended with fennel. It has a distinctive fruitiness, some woody notes, and a few floral twinges. The sensation is complex and it really should be experienced. When soaked in alcohol, the berries turn the liquid a gorgeous deep purple hue.
Makes about 1 quart
- 1 fifth (750 ml/3
1
⁄
4
cups) vodka (80–100 proof) - 1
⁄
4
cup Tasmanian peppercorns, crushed - 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
- Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
- 1 vanilla bean (Madagascar or Bourbon), split
- 1 cup
Simple Syrup
- 1.
Combine the vodka, Tasmanian peppercorns, black pepper, orange zest, and vanilla in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything. - 2.
Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of pepper, 2 to 3 days. - 3.
Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid. - 4.
Stir in the simple syrup. - 5.
Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
L’chaim!
Combine with grapefruit juice for a Greyhound with a kick.
This blend of forest herbs, dried mushrooms, and juniper is more savory than sweet, imparting a combination of fertile, gamey aromas and a resinous, coniferous scent. The sensation is unique and surprisingly delicious. I tend to drink most herbal liqueurs on their own, but I have tried a bit of this one mixed into a peaty Scotch and it went quite well.
Makes a little more than 1 pint
- 1 fifth (750 ml/3
1
⁄
4
cups) Dutch-style gin (80 proof) - 1
⁄
4
cup chopped fresh rosemary - 1
⁄
4
cup fresh thyme leaves - 1
⁄
4
cup juniper berries, crushed - 1
⁄
4
cup dried mushrooms, such as porcini or morels - Big pinch of sea salt
- 1
⁄
4
cup
Simple Syrup
- 1.
Combine the gin, rosemary, thyme, juniper berries, mushrooms, and salt in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything. - 2.
Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of herbs, 3 to 5 days. - 3.
Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid. - 4.
Stir in the simple syrup. - 5.
Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within 1 year.
- Bitter Almond
- Black Poppy
- Brown Sugar Pecan
- Caramel Candy (Copycat Praline-Pecan Liqueur)
- Caramelized Chestnut
- Chocolate Coconut
- Chocolate Hazelnut
- Honey Pistachio
- Open Sesame
- Rosemary Pignoli
- Spiced Black Walnut
- Sweet Almond (Copycat Amaretto)
- Toasted Hazelnut (Copycat Frangelico)
- Toasted Tropics
- Toasted Walnut (Copycat Nocello)
- Vanilla Almond
- Walffee
Seeds create the next generation of plants. They contain the plant embryo and a food supply (usually oil) that fuels its growth, and they are housed in an outer shell that protects the embryonic plant from outside forces. Nuts are edible seeds that are usually larger and richer in oil than other seeds; they require no cooking. All of this makes them potent flavoring agents for liqueur. All you have to do is break them open, mix them with alcohol, and wait.
There are dozens of classic nut liqueurs. Frangelico is an Italian hazelnut liqueur, Nocello is flavored with walnuts, and amaretto is made from almonds. Kahana Royale is a rich macadamia nut liqueur from Hawaii and Dumante Verdenoce is a pistachio liqueur from southern Italy. There are rum liqueurs infused with coconut, which is a very large seed.
Nut flavors are distinctive and complex, and nuttiness comprises an array of sensations, offering many delicate, almost elusive, tastes and aromas in a decidedly rich package. There are toasty roasted flavors and a protein sweetness in the same way that glistening fresh meat is sweet. Nuts and seeds are loaded with oils, an attribute that makes them unique in the vegetable world.
Most vegetables house their calories as carbohydrates, which gives them a sweet or starchy profile, but because nuts have to pack in all the energy the embryo needs to turn into a plant, carbohydrates won’t do. The fat content of nuts makes them easy to toast, which brings out their characteristic flavors; many of these recipes call for the nuts to be toasted for that reason.
Because nuts are high in oil, they can easily become rancid. Before using any nut in a liqueur recipe, smell it. If it has an off aroma, don’t use it. Rancid flavors are easily absorbed into the alcohol along with all other flavors.
If you are starting with shelled walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts, pick away all pieces of interior membrane from the walnuts or pecans, and rub the skins from toasted hazelnuts with a terrycloth towel. These skins and membranes are high in tannins, which can make your liqueur unpleasantly astringent. At the other extreme, if you are using shelled nuts, avoid salted varieties. The level of sodium will ruin the liqueur.
To toast nuts, heat a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over high heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the nuts and stir until the nuts are aromatic and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Dump onto a baking sheet to let cool.
Nuts can also be toasted in a microwave. Lay them out in an even single layer on a microwave-safe plate (don’t cover them) and microwave at full power until the nuts are aromatic, about 3 minutes; stir halfway through.
As nut liqueurs sit, oil suspended in the alcohol can rise to the surface. Shaking the bottle for a few seconds will put the oil back in suspension. If you don’t want to do that, you can set the liqueur in the freezer for a day. The oil will solidify on the surface and then can be easily skimmed away. Remember, though, the nut oils are flavorful, and they add a lightly creamy texture to the liqueur, so removing the oil will make the finished liqueur lighter and thinner.