charley26

Blackberry Whiskey and others to try.

I use a 2 litre kilner type jar
At least 2/3 full with blackberries (weigh if you wish!), but no less than that. Check that they are clean, no creepy crawlies etc. Ripe berries
250 g of sugar
Fill to the top with whiskey
Give everything a stir - I use a chop stick - every day or so until the sugar has dissolved, and keep in a cupboard for 2 - 3 months. If left longer, no harm will come to it. I keep mine in a dark cupboard.
Strain well, double muslin, jelly bag, or coffee filter. Coffee filter takes much longer, but no sediment in your bottle of delicious liqueur. Leave to mature for several months. I use used screw top wine bottles, or the whiskey bottles, cleaned and sterilised. Don't forget to label the Kilner jars with the date. Delicious, and lovely colour too. None of these need to be stored in the fridge.

I also make Sloe Gin, Sloe Vodka. Raspberries are good too with vodka, gorgeous pink colour. Same sort of recipe quantities. Wonderful put into little pretty bottles (about 250 mms) for presents, and just lovely around Christmas etc. If I see any pretty small bottles around i always save them for my liqueur use.

I have made Rhubarb vodka too, but the really pink, forced rhubarb is needed, again a lovely pale pink colour.
Plums and damsons work too, all good if left over from other uses. I enjoy trying different things.
I sometimes add other ingredients, for example, a vanilla pod, a star anise, a couple of cloves, cleaned finely peeled lemon zest - not all of these to one mix - so the vanilla pod to the whiskey for example.

A really delicious one to make is cassis. Blackcurrants, small stalks included, along with a clean leaf or two. Equal quantities of vodka and blackcurrants soaked for 3 - 4 months, in a Kilner jar. The blackcurrants can be squashed up too. After straining, add a sugar syrup, made from 350g of sugar a about 70ml of water, make sure the sugar has dissolved. Add the sugar syrup when it is cold ; you can put back in the jar for a week or so, or bottle, and label. This has the most delicious aroma of blackcurrants. I have to beg (almost) for the blackcurrants! A little placed in glass before topping up with Prosecco is the business for celebrations, a home made Kir cocktail. A bottle will last for a while, and does not go off.

Jam.
When I make jam, I use jam sugar, it has added pectin in it, and always work. Most berries have low pectin, so extra is needed, lemon juice or apples sometimes. But I just prefer the single fruit jam, so I use jam sugar, it is a little more expensive, but it works for me.

Enjoy