We enjoy making quite a few different alcoholic drinks including cider from our own apples, wine from kits and elderflower wine. We’ve also made some infused spirits like sloe gin and damson brandy. Here is the latest batch:
On the left is Gooseberry Ratafia, in the middle is Advocaat, and on the right is Mint Liqueur. I can’t tell you about the flavour because none of them are ready to drink yet. They were all pretty easy to make.
Gooseberry Ratafia: blitz the gooseberries in the food processor and then squeeze the juice out; mix the juice with vodka, a cinnamon stick, some cloves and sugar; leave to stand for a month to settle out the sediment; siphon off and add more sugar then leave another month.
Advocaat: make a sugar syrup with sugar, water, evaporated milk and a vanilla pod; whisk six egg yolks and then whisk in the sugar syrup (carefully so you don’t get scrambled egg); stir in half a bottle of brandy and leave for a week.
Mint Liqueur: freeze mint leaves so that they crumble into tiny pieces; add to a bottle of vodka for a week shaking regularly; filter out the leaves then add sugar and glycerine; store for a few months.
All the recipes came from an old book called Country Wines And Cordials.
applebymakes 