Mrs Blue Sky Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 I've been clearing out the garage freezer, and found two packets of supermarket frozen raspberries. What's a girl to do with frozen raspberries? Make liqueur that's what. I emptied them into a tall kilner jar, hoyed in an entire bottle of vodka, an old Christmas present unopened for two years - I know, very slack of me - and put the jar in a dark cupboard. I took it out and shook it every day for a week. The voddy went a beautiful ruby red and smelt fantastic. At the end of the week I strained the fruit out, and made a syrup with a quantity of sugar equal to the weight of the fruit - in this case 1 pound 4 ounces (too old for metric). I used a quantity of water equal to the volume of the sugar. This is simpler than I am making it sound - I put the 1 pound 4 ounces of sugar in a measuring jug and used the same amount of water that's all... Anyway having made the syrup and let it cool to room temperature I combined the raspberry vodka and the syrup and By Crikey it is GOOD!!! Even better after settling in the cupboard for two weeks - it is fantastically fragrant and enormously alcoholic too! I absolutely recommend doing this, it's really easy and would make good Christmas pressies if put in pretty little bottles. To summarise: Raspberries Vodka Kilner Jar Sugar syrup - quantities to equal weight of fruit Cupboard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I made some of this earlier in the year, it smells beautiful doesn't it! I have half a litre left, as a friend bought a large bottle of this off me I think I left mine for a fortnight before doing the syrup. I don't buy kilners though, I just use some old 750ml glass bottles with wide necks I can get the fruit through, and screw on lids that were in the loft, then when you make up the syrup, pour the contents into the saucepan with the syrup in and stir well, so the whole batch should be exactly the same. I also use some quite dense old (and very clean) net curtain as a strainer, you can squeeze every last drop out of the fruit then too I decant into plastic pop bottles to give away, with a nice label stuck on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Blue Sky Posted June 14, 2007 Author Share Posted June 14, 2007 Good tips Claire! A bit of net curtain comes in well handy doesn't it J cloths are good too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I don't throw much away in my house Heather! I think you are using the same principles of liquour making as me, equal quantites of alcohol, fruit, water and sugar. I am trying this as I go along pickling things in alcohol, and it seems fine for soft fruits I may have to try loganberries soon, I have tonnes in the garden, but they can't be better than the smell of the raspberry vodka, it really preserves the smell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 You have both got my mouth watering here I have a bag of summer fruits in the freezer and also a bag of homegrown strawberries do you think this would be okay to use I really fancy having a go at this PS How long do you think it will last for, if I made it now would it last till Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Depends how quickly you drink it Debs Couldn't help myself there Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 It's not the drinking that's the problem Louise, that's the easy bit I suppose I could make a tester bottle now and then another one nearer christmas PS I must stop mentioning the C word, it's only June Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 If you don't make some Debs you'll never know how long it will last . Both alcohol and sugar are preservatives (I think) and my raspberry vodka, what's left of it, still smells lovely and it was made in March. I also have a half litre bottle of Limoncello from February which is still good to go! Go on, make some, you know you want to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 You have tempted me Claire, I just need a bottle of vodka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 What do you do with the fruit after it has been strained I am toying with this one but trying to find a way to eat the raspberries as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 coat them in chocolate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I made that for Phil last Christmas - he had sloe gin and raspberry voddy - he was sloshed all crimbo! I added the sugar to the bottle while it was standing with the fruit, then sieved out the large bits of fruit and strained through coffee filters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Blue Sky Posted June 14, 2007 Author Share Posted June 14, 2007 I don't think you'd fancy them after they've been soaked in vodka; all the oomph goes out of them and they are just a mush. Don;t be tempted to give them to the hens either! As for keeping, I reckon it would keep indefinitely as long as you don't keep having sly swigs every time you pass the cupboard... it should probably be kept in the dark. I've got a strawberry recipe where you mush 5lb strawberries with 1lb caster sugar, leave overnight, pack into sterilised jar, cover with a bottle of vodka and keep in the dark for a week shaking daily, then strain and keep as usual. Or drink as usual! The strawberry flavour is harder to preserve apparently, which is maybe why you'd need 5lb of strawberries. And I might try the first method again but with gooseberries next time I go to the pick your own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 What do you do with the fruit after it has been strained I am toying with this one but trying to find a way to eat the raspberries as well Once I've squeezed the life out of them through the net curtain I use, there is barely anything but pips, all stuck together in a hard lump, it's not nice I added the sugar to the bottle while it was standing with the fruit, then sieved out the large bits of fruit and strained through coffee filters. I believe that is the correct way to make sloe gin Clare, I didn't add any syrup to mine either, just fruit, sugar and gin all together I've got a strawberry recipe where you mush 5lb strawberries with 1lb caster sugar, leave overnight, pack into sterilised jar, cover with a bottle of vodka and keep in the dark for a week shaking daily, then strain and keep as usual. Or drink as usual! The strawberry flavour is harder to preserve apparently, which is maybe why you'd need 5lb of strawberries. I would be interested to hear how that turns out. Strawberries are difficult things aren't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 What do you do with the fruit after it has been strained I am toying with this one but trying to find a way to eat the raspberries as well I gave some of the blackberries to Lauren and Jake as an ice-cream topping. This wa just after I'd suddenly remembered the peas to go with their dinner. When their Mum arrived to pick them up they told her "Grandma pee'd in our dinner and gave us Vodka for pudding" The blackberries weren't very nice really - as Mrs. BS said -all the oomph had gone, and so had the flavour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I used the raspberries, plus some fresh ones to give it more colour, to make a boozy raspberry pavlova. Too sweet and alcoholic for me, but Phil loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Blue Sky Posted June 15, 2007 Author Share Posted June 15, 2007 That sounds lovely. I don't think I've ever had anything too sweet and alcoholic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocobo Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 When their Mum arrived to pick them up they told her "Grandma pee'd in our dinner and gave us Vodka for pudding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I made some of this last night Although I was very tempted just to eat the raspberries, I love raspberries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I am off to Spain next week and plan to get a huge bottle of vodka on the way home and make some of this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Have a good trip Louise Hope your mum is improving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Yup, best wishes to your mum Louise. Shall I send Phil up to help you with your liquer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 No its all mine I am hoping to bring mum home on the 12th She is able to stand now but still not walk and they will have to come and stay with me for a few months for space and help etc but fingers crossed she is on the mend By christmas I will be a nervous wreck I left home 20 years ago so it is going to an interesting time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Great news that you mum will soon be home Louise, although I know that it wil be a testing time for you having them living with you. I don't know that I could manage that. At least you will have the peace of mind that they are safe and you know what is going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
