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You Asked For It

Raise the bar with kitchen cocktails

By ELLEN FOLKMAN
Published January 25, 2006

Margaret Carter and Geraldine Enderle both requested recipes for homemade kahlua. Many readers submitted recipes and some sent recipes for homemade versions of other liqueurs.

Geri Brizzi likes her kahlua spooned over ice cream, so her version includes a teaspoon of chocolate syrup. Shirley McKillop and Betty Kostal use whole vanilla bean, and Susan Maguire's recipe includes brandy. Her creative packaging makes these great gifts.

Most recipes require a daily shake for three to four weeks. It is important to note that a container made of glass is preferable.

Heinz Stevens shares recipes for Irish Cream liqueur and praline liqueur. The Irish Cream is made with raw eggs, which will be a concern for some people. The praline liqueur can be used in coffee, baked apples or cakes.

Jennie Miller's recipe is for galliano, the liqueur used in a Harvey Wallbanger.

For: Geraldine Enderle of Pinellas Park and Margaret Carter of Spring Hill

From: Betty Kostal of Spring Hill, Shirley McKillop of New Port Richey and Geri Brizzi of St. Petersburg, plus others

Recipe: Kahlua

4 cups sugar

4 cups water

Fifth of vodka

3/4 cup instant coffee

1 vanilla bean, cut into pieces

Combine sugar and water and boil 10 minutes. Cool. Add vodka, instant coffee and vanilla bean. Pour into glass jug.

Store in a dark place and shake every day for three weeks.

For: Geraldine Enderle of Pinellas Park and Margaret Carter of Spring Hill

From: Susan Maguire of Tampa

Recipe: Kahlua

3 cups sugar

1 quart water

10 teaspoons instant coffee

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 pint vodka

4 ounces brandy

Slowly simmer sugar, water and coffee for about one hour, preferably in a nonmetal pan.

Stir often with a wooden spoon. Take off heat and add vanilla.

Wait until cooled and add the vodka and brandy. Decant into sterilized Grolsch beer bottles and add your own label.

For: Geraldine Enderle of Pinellas Park and Margaret Carter of Spring Hill

From: Heinz Stevens of Largo

Recipe: Irish Cream Liqueur

4 cups Irish whiskey

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 ounce semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 large eggs

2 cups light cream or half and half

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Store tightly covered in bottles or jars in the refrigerator at least 2 weeks before using. Keeps up to 6 weeks.

Make about 3 quarts.

For: Geraldine Enderle of Pinellas Park and Margaret Carter of Spring Hill

From: Heinz Stevens of Largo

Recipe: Praline Liqueur

2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 cups water

4 cups pecan pieces, lightly toasted

2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise

4 cups vodka

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium sauce pan 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.

After 2 weeks, 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.

Yield: about 6 half-pints.

For: Geraldine Enderle of Pinellas Park and Margaret Carter of Spring Hill

From: Jennie Miller of Crystal Beach

Recipe: Galliano

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 teaspoon pineapple extract

1 1/2 teaspoon banana extract

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon anise extract

1 quart vodka

2 to 3 drops yellow food coloring

Combine sugar and water to make a simple syrup, boil gently. Combine extracts in large glass container with lid and pour simple syrup over them and cool. Add vodka and food coloring.

Age at least 1 month before using.

1 ounce vodka

1/2 ounce galliano

4 ounces orange juice

Pour vodka and orange juice into a collins glass over ice and stir. Float galliano on top and serve.

Makes 1 cocktail.

Lucile Beaudoin is looking for two recipes. One is for bread pudding like her mom used to make. It had raisins and was very sweet; she put maple syrup on it before serving. The second recipe Lucile wants is for butter pie. She had it in a hotel in Vancouver but can't find a recipe. She knows maple syrup was one of the ingredients.

Marie Kelly's 3-year-old loves kettle corn. She has tried the microwave version but would like to be able to make it.

While visiting from New Jersey, Lois Korman had tilapia with a peach mango salsa at Red Lobster. She would like the recipe for peach mango salsa.

- You Asked for It is a reader mail column. Send recipe requests to You Asked for It, the St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail them to youaskedforit@knology.net Please put "Recipe request" in the subject line. Recipes will be received by mail only. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number. Letters without this information will be discarded. Requests cannot be answered by phone or mail.

[Last modified January 24, 2006, 09:20:14]