Black Tie Booze: Liqueurs

Recipe

Black Tie Booze

Liqueur isn't just for after dinner. It makes an unusually tasty ice cream or cake topping or use it to make flavored coffee. These easily made, specialty drinks often produce a superior (less sickly sweet) product than store bought. The Irish Cream recipe below is amazingly similar to the name brand. An added bonus is they cost less.

For a superior product let the liqueur mature at least a month. After maturity, shelf life is about 8 months. Add glycerin if you desire a thicker liquid.

You might try your hand at creating your own recipes. Frozen, canned or dried fruits as well as nuts and extracts are some ingredients to experiment with.

Chocoholics Liqueur

2 tsp. chocolate extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups vodka
1/2 cup sugar syrup

Place all ingredients in a sterilized glass quart jar. Let age for several days.

Caribbean Coffee Liqueur

2 cups water
3 cups sugar
1 2 oz. jar instant coffee
1 fifth of good quality vodka
2 vanilla beans, cut in 1" pieces

Make a light syrup by boiling first 3 ingredients for 14 minutes, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool. Mix well with vodka. Pour into 2 bottles. Add 1 vanilla bean to each bottle, stopper tightly. Age in cool place for 30 days, lightly agitating bottles occasionally.

Anna Banana Liqueur

2 medium sized bananas, peeled
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup sugar syrup
3 cups vodka

Mash the bananas into a sterilized quart jar. Add the vanilla, vodka, and cooled sugar syrup. Cover tightly and shake gently. Steep one week. Strain and then filter through coffee filter. Let age for 2-3 weeks.