Kirsch is a classic drink but one that can be a tad expensive to buy. It is not a liqueur but instead is an infused alcohol which as well as being extremely tasty to drink is invaluable in the kitchen for cooking and baking.
In the UK cherries are only abundant for a short period of time and sometimes you can pick up some serious bargains during this time. When this happens it seems a crime to waste any part of this juicy and heavenly fruit. Don’t throw away the stones make full use of them instead to make your own homemade kirsch.
Kirsch is not made with the cherries themselves but the stones. All you have to do is remember not to throw the damn things away, instead what you want to do is pop them into a plastic bag and bash them with a wooden mallet or rolling pin. Use the plastic bag or you’ll have the things flying about all over the kitchen and the mess will be terrible.
Once you have your smashed the stones just tip them into a sterilised bottle and pour in 500ml/2 cups of vodka (not Stolly, go for a normal basic brand!), you’ll need about 50g/2oz of cherry stones for this recipe.
Set the bottle (with top on of course) aside in a cupboard for at least a couple of weeks and keep adding more bashed up stones whenever you have them. I’ve left my homemade kirsch for 4 months and added stones again and again.
To use simple strain through a double layer of kitchen roll and pour into a sterilised bottle.
Use in cooking, cocktails, baking and as a tipple if you fancy.
Cheers!
Karon x
Homemade Kirsch
Ingredients
- 50 g/2oz cherry stones
- 500 ml/2 cups vodka
Instructions
- Place cherry stones in a plastic bag and bash with a mallet or rolling pin to break them up
- Pour broken stones into a sterilised bottle and top with vodka and a lid
- Set aside in a cupboard for at least 2 weeks
- Add more broken stones whenever you have them
- I have left mine for 4 months adding stones whenever we have cherries to eat
- Strain through a double layer of kitchen roll
- Decant into a sterilised bottle
I was under the impression that chemicals in Cherry and other stoned fruit like apricots and peaches changed into CYANIDE over a period of time, and certainly all smell of Hydrogen Cyanide or Hydrocyanic Acid, and that ALCOHOL speeds up the process. But then so do almonds which are the kernels [nuts] of a family member and I eat a lot of those . And sloes . I’ve been making sloe gin and sloe vodka for heaven knows how long and I keep a bottle of each ”vintage” going back to before 1990
Any comments on that?? I’d hate to poison the whole family
Albert L J Hall
I’ve been making various liqueurs etc with the stones from fruit for years and never had a problem and never heard of anyone else having issues either.
K