Infuse fresh apricots with white wine, vodka and spices to create this delicious, golden coloured liqueur. Served as a dessert liqueur, added to cocktails, or mixed with mineral water, apricot wine liqueur is simple to prepare and set aside to wait for the flavour to develop. Bonus: alcohol-infused apricots for an adults-only ice-cream topping!
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Ingredients for
APRICOT
WINE LIQUEUR
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Yield: 6 cups
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Dry White Wine (i.e. Sauvignon
Blanc)
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3 cups
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Sugar, White
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2 cups
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Fresh Apricots
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900g (2 pounds)
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Cinnamon Stick
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1
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Vanilla Bean
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1
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Vodka
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2 cups
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METHOD:
2. Wash apricots, then remove blemishes, halve
and remove stones. Slice apricots into halves or quarters, depending on size.
3. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise and
scrape to collect the vanilla paste.
You
will also use the empty vanilla pod in this recipe.
4. Heat
wine and sugar in a pan on medium, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has
dissolved.
5. Add prepared
apricots, cinnamon and the split vanilla into the wine syrup. Stir to combine.
Bring to a boil. Boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
6. Add vodka and cool slightly.
7. Spoon
apricots (from the liqueur mixture) into one or more jars i.e. 2 x 1 litre jars
(2 x quart jars) or 1 x 2 litre jar (1 x half-gallon jar). Ladle liqueur into jars,
on top of the apricots. Add plastic lids and refrigerate. 8. DAY 1 -
4: shake jars daily. Keep refrigerated.
9. DAY 4: use
a slotted spoon to remove apricots from the liqueur. Store apricots in a
prepared jar (or container), seal and store in
the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This recipe makes approximately 4 cups of alcohol-infused
apricots.
10. Fold
3-4 layers of muslin/cheesecloth into a sieve, then pour liqueur through
muslin, into a jug (or bowl) to filter liqueur. Next, use a funnel to pour
liqueur into your clean bottle/s or jars.
11. Seal, label and refrigerate liqueur for up to
4 weeks (or freeze in suitable containers/jars). 12. Enjoy alcohol-infused
apricots over the next 4 days. The apricot wine liqueur can be
refrigerated for up to 4 weeks (or freeze for up to
3 months).
NOTES:
o Other dry white wines can be used in this recipe, including chardonnay, pinot
grigio/gris, dry Riesling or champagne. Sweet wines can also be used (reduce
sugar to taste);
o Replace
vanilla bean with 1 tablespoon vanilla paste;
o Sugar
can be reduced to taste, however that may reduce the storage period;
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Use
plastic (or glass) lids to prevent the strong alcohol affecting metal lids.
Image Credit: Megan Radaich