Sunday, December 13, 2009

Homemade Cranberry Liquer


This is as close as I come to making my own "moonshine".... You will need to plan ahead for this one... allow 2 weeks.... 12 days if you're really pressed for time. The prep time is quick, the wait time before bottling holds you up.

12 days
20 min prep

Makes 1 Quart - You'll probably want to make more!

• 1 lb cranberries

• 4 cups superfine sugar, divided

• 1 cup water

• 3 cups 80 proof vodka

Combine cranberries with 2 cups sugar.

Add water and boil 4-5 minutes until skins start to pop.

Remove from heat and cool.

Put in a mixing jar, one of those large glass sun tea jars works great!add vodka and shake vigorously.

Cover and leave to infuse at least 7 days, shaking or stirring occasionally. Refrigerate.

Pour thru a coarse strainer and discard berries.

Let rest 3-4 days.

Without shaking the jar, decant only the clear liquor into another jar, leaving white residue in the original jar.

The white residue can be put thru a paper strainer (I use an unbleached coffee filter) until liquid is clear; add the strained liquor to the already decanted liqueur.

Combine liqueur with 2 more cups of sugar and shake vigorously until sugar is absorbed.

Let clear overnight and bottle.