Ginger Liqueur

This beautiful golden ginger liqueur is a warming drink.

It will not only warm up your heart but also on a medicinal note used against indigestions or common colds.

For me, it takes me back to my childhood where I would see my Gran make batches or them year after year. And the kids even faked a tummyache just to get a few spoons of the liqueur..:)

It uses very easily available ingredients and can be stored long, if handled correctly.

It tastes exactly like the commercially available ginger liqueur- Domain de Canton, will cost you 1/5 of its price to make it, and the pleasure and the pride you earn, when people cannot believe you made it...absolutely priceless!

It makes an excellent gifting item , especially for christmas because of its warm nature and the ease with which it can be made.

Preparation time 30 mins

Steeping time 10 days

Shelf life Minimum 3 years

Ingredients:

100gm Ginger tuber

1cup Sugar

1 orange( zest)

1 vanilla pod or 1/2 tsp extract(I use vanilla sugar)

1 1/2 cups Brandy (you could use Grappa for stronger alcohol content)

1 1/4 cup water

Tools:

Cooking pot,

funnel,

wire mesh strainer

coffee filter paper or stainer

glass jar with a tight fitting lid

clean bottles with corks or sealable lids

Finely slice or dice the ginger tuber. I do not bother to peel it ,I find it unnecessary, since it neither impacts taste nor texture.

Zest the orange with a zester or grater making sure that the white pith is excluded.

Start making the sugar sirup by heating up the sugar and water in a pot.

Add in the ginger slices and and stir.

cook on a medium flame for around 10-15 minutes till the ginger looks translucent.

Add the vanilla bean or sugar and cook for another 2-3 minutes , then take off the heat and let it cool.

In a clean sterile jar put the orange zest and the brandy.

Gently pour in the cooled ginger sirup mixture.

Shut the lid tightly and swish the liquid around to mix up all the ingredients.

Leave this jar in a dark spot for around 5-10 days ,swishing the mixture in the jar each day.

After 10days the ingredients have infused completely and the liquid is ripe for bottling.

Pour the entire mixture thru a tea strainer to remove the chunky pieces.

Filter a second time thru fine coffee filter to get clear liqueur.

bottle this Liqueur in sterile bottles, fit on the cork and paste them with labels.

This fine Liqueur will warm up your day.....

cheers!