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Liqueurs are fun to make at home and cost a lot less than commercial versions. Plus, they make welcome gifts. Put the liqueurs in attractive bottles, label them and tie with pretty bows. Aren't you clever?
Gay Caloccia asked for a recipe for coffee liqueur prepared with coffee crystals, brown sugar and vodka. Well, Gay, that recipe has been shared by Candy Bliss, but You Asked for It readers rarely stop with just one. Candy sent another recipe, for praline liqueur. Toasted pecan pieces and vanilla beans add flavor to this one.
Shirley Salmen offers two recipes: coffee liqueur made with granulated sugar, instant coffee, vanilla extract and vodka, and creme de cacao prepared with chocolate syrup, white corn syrup and vodka.
Shirley, who has had these recipe in her files for 20 to 30 years, notes that "homemade liqueurs do not have the shelf life of the commercially prepared ones, so once they are ready to drink, go ahead and enjoy them before they start to lose their zip."
Joan Keogh supplies her recipes for fruit cordials. Make raspberry liqueur with fresh raspberries and vodka and apricot cordial with dried apricots, cinnamon stick, vodka and brandy.
For: Gay Caloccia of Mississauga, Ontario.
From: Candy Bliss of St. Petersburg.
Recipe: Coffee Liqueur, from Low-Fat, High-Flavor Cookbook (Oxmoor House, 1996).
Coffee Liqueur
11/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 cups water
1/2 cup instant coffee granules
3 cups vodka
1/4 cup whole coffee beans
Combine first three ingredients in a medium saucepan; cook over medium-high heat until sugars dissolve. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in coffee granules. Let cool.
Combine coffee mixture, vodka and coffee beans; pour into a 1-gallon jar. Cover tightly and store in a dark place at room temperature at least 2 weeks. Shake jar gently once daily.
Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer lined with two layers of cheesecloth into jars, discarding coffee beans. Cover tightly. Store at room temperature.
Can be used in beverages, low-fat eggnog or low-fat cake fillings and batter.
Recipe: Praline Liqueur, from Low-Fat, High-Flavor Cookbook Oxmoor House, 1996).
Praline Liqueur
2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
21/2 cups water
4 cups pecan pieces, lightly toasted
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
4 cups vodka
Combine first three ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until sugars dissolve. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Place pecans and vanilla beans in a 1-gallon jar. Pour hot mixture into jar; let cool. Add vodka; stir well. Cover tightly and store in a dark place at room temperature at least 2 weeks. Shake jar gently once daily.
Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer lined with two layers of cheesecloth into a bowl; discard solids. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter into a bowl. Change filter often. (Mixture will drip slowly.) Pour into jars; cover tightly. Store at room temperature.
May be used in coffee, baked apples, or low-fat cakes.
From: Shirley Salmen of Palm Harbor.
Recipe: Under-the-Sink Coffee Liqueur.
Under-the-Sink Coffee Liqueur
4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup instant coffee granules
3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
11/2 cups 80-proof vodka
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
Combine sugar and coffee in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Stir in water and salt. Over high heat, stir until sugar is dissolved, while bringing to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 1 hour. If mixture boils too rapidly, volume will be decreased more than desirable and resulting syrup will be too thick. Remove from heat. Stir in vodka, then vanilla. Cool.
Pour into a bottle or decanter and close tightly with cork or stopper. Makes 11/2 quarts.
Serve as a liqueur or ice cream sauce.
Recipe: Creme de Cacao.
Creme de Cacao
1 pint (2 cups) chocolate syrup
1 pint (2 cups) white corn syrup
1 quart (4 cups) high proof vodka
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Mix chocolate syrup, corn syrup, vodka and vanilla. Makes 2 quarts.
From: Joan Keogh of Brooksville.
Recipe: Raspberry Liqueur.
Raspberry Liqueur
3 cups raspberries
2 cups granulated sugar
1 fifth (25.6 ounces) vodka
Place sugar in 6-cup glass jar. Pour in vodka and raspberries. Do not shake.
Place in a cool, dark location for 30 days. Strain and pour into glass jar or decanter. Makes about 4 cups.
Reserve fruit once you have strained it off the liqueur to serve over ice cream, frozen yogurt or pudding.
Recipe: Apricot Cordial.
Apricot Cordial
8 ounces (about 12/3 cups) dried apricots, quartered
2 cups water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups vodka
1 cup brandy
1 2-inch cinnamon stick
In a heavy medium-size saucepan, simmer the apricots in water for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid becomes a fairly thick syrup. Remove from heat and add all remaining ingredients. Pour into a non-aluminum container; cover and shake.
Place in a cool, dark location for 3 weeks, shaking occasionally to dissolve sugar.
Using a fine sieve, strain off the fruit. Pour liquid into glass jar, bottle or decanter. Reserve fruit. Makes 3 to 4 cups.
Use strained fruit as a relish for holiday meat or poultry. Also good served over ice cream.
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