Making gorgeous foodie gifts for Christmas is something I am really keen on. I love to have lots of bottles and jars in the larder just waiting to be gussied up a bit to be given as gifts that I know my friends will love.
Christmas is the best for me, I get to wallow in the larder and have great fun putting together just the right goodies for those gift baskets. I like to add a wee bottle of something special to my gift baskets and homemade liqueurs are the perfect thing.
Here is a recipe for how to make Christmas liqueur that has all those traditional flavours of Christmas packed into a bottle. It is warming and comforting on a cold winter’s night, and is also a great tipple to offer your guests at Christmas parties too of course.
Here’s how to make Christmas Liqueur
CHRISTMAS CHEER
This is it, the ultimate festive spirit, this is truly Christmas in a glass!
Required; Bottle of brandy 2 glasses dry white wine peel of an orange 2 cinnamon sticks handful of walnuts handful of mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, cranberries, anything you have around) sprig of rosemary 125g medium brown sugar large jar
Peel your orange, if waxed give it a good scrub first. Put your peel, dried fruit and walnuts into the jar. Add the sugar (don’t buy the really dark brown sugar, go for the medium stuff) and pour in the brandy and wine. Last but by no means least, pop in the cinnamon sticks and the sprig of rosemary. Seal the bottle and shake well. Now put this one away for 4 weeks (get started now!) and give it a shake every few days.
Strain out all the fruit and nuts etc, remembering of course that waste is sin so eat these with great pleasure, lovely with icecream, cream or just chucked in the mouth in a devil- may- care manner. Decant this into a nice bottle or decanter and decorate with a red ribbon and a bit of faux holly.
Great gift for someone special, or as your own special treat for Christmas night curled up by the fire after all the cooking, prezzies and hoopla are out of the way.
So that was how to make Christmas liqueur, come on guys, no excuses, get creative with the booze and make something a bit different this Christmas.
Cheers!
Karon x
Great recipes Karon! Have been trialing some mulling spices myself, just have to keep making prototypes to get it just right!! Will be trying the lemoncello ready for the summer evenings in the garden.
Great news about your book, well done you, and such good news with your TV work too, so pleased things have really taken off for you.
Take care
Sarah x
Getting right onto it!
The recipes look fabulous! I think I will toss the sozzled fruits into my mouth with a ‘devil may care attitude’ as you suggested!
Sorry, got to dash…..have booze to make!
Jane x
PS Thanks for posting the recipes!
They are sound great! I’m working on a few dessert recipes that include Lemoncello – which we discovered in Italy! So far I’ve used it as a glaze and put it into some filling for pies – still have to tweak it a bit but it’s give such a lovely KICK! I had no idea one could make the stuff! xo, Nan
The recipes really sound so good. Can’t wait to try them and have some new Christmas drinks. Thanks, Karon!
Patti xxoo