How to make Cinnamon liqueur: Or so I thought…
Homemade Cinnamon Liqueur
Cinnamon. In ancient times it was a luxurious gift for kings and gods. Today it makes an appearance on our cinnamon rolls, apple cobbler and even french toast.
Me, I just want to devour anything that tastes like it. Mix it with alcohol? Even BETTER.
With no exaggeration, I LOVE cinnamon. It seems that the more I eat cinnamon my love for it just grows like a cinnamon tumour inside me. As I began making liqueurs I knew that cinnamon liqueur would be a key step in my quest for excellent homemade liqueur.
Before I talk about the four cinnamon liqueur variants I made, let me rant a little on the things I learned about Cinnamon.
Liqueur Review: Frangelico
Frangelico Liqueur
Today we look at another classic liqueur, Frangelico. Similar to my last review on Southern Comfort, this is one of those liqueurs you see all the time but maybe have not tried. Sad though, since Frangelico has been around 300 years you should have had plenty of time to try it!
Like Chartreuse, Benedictine and others, Frangelico's origin also involves monks which usually ends up with deliciousness.
Background:
Frangelico is a Noisette and herb flavored liqueur. You might be unfamiliar with Noisette and that is because it is french for "Hazelnut" or "made from Hazelnut".
This ancient liqueur is produced in the Piedmont region of Italy, with origins dating as far back as 300 years. It is believed to have originated with Christian monks living in the area of that time. The name itself coming from one of those same monks, "Fra. Angelico" who resided in the hills of the Piedmont area.
Can’t get Cinnamon out of my head!
Mmmmmm cinnamon. I love cinnamon. It makes me think of tea, cinnamon rolls, desserts of all kind, pumpkin pie, various coffee drinks and winter time. Can't you just smell it?
I can smell it, and I can taste it! I can't get it out of my mind! That is why the next Liqueurs I make will all be cinnamon based. In fact I have been doing some research on Cinnamon liqueur and schnapps recipes and I decided to make at least three variant cinnamon liqueurs. There are too many options and I wish I could afford the alcohol to make ten batches. There are several types of cinnamon to use, including: Indonesian cinnamon, Saigon cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon or the common cassia that everyone here in the USA uses in baked goods.
There are also a lot of spices that would go great with cinnamon like allspice, coriander, cloves or nutmeg, and then there are various fruits, berries, it is all just too much. Anyway I will have to man up, make a decision and get to steeping my ingredients. I'll let you know what I decide in the coming weeks. I hope in the mean time you will experiment with some cinnamon liqueur as well. Let me know if you do!
Liqueur, for more than just drinking?
I have yet to begin delving into the world of cooking, baking or crafting edibles with the addition of Liqueurs. However I found a post over at the Star Telegram that offers some neat tips on using Liqueurs for various dishes.
On the subject; I think the Raspberry Liqueur I made would be great for desserts if it wasn't already so sickly sweet. Perhaps in the next iteration I'll try to create something more smooth and deep flavored. If someone makes it without the additional sugar before I get a chance to, please let me know how it turns out.
In the mean time I will try to find something delicious to pour the Lime Liqueur into. Maybe a key lime pie? Maybe ice cream?
Homemade: Raspberry Liqueur #1
Home-made Raspberry Liqueur
This would be the first attempt in my journey of Liqueur making. I obtained a recipe from Gunther Anderson's site that sounded easy. For which I pretty much followed the recipe except for one deviation which I'll explain in a minute. First the original recipe.
Homemade Raspberry Liqueur (Hughes) Recipe
From: Eric Hughes
- 2 cups whole fresh raspberries
- 3 cups vodka
- 1 1/2 cup sugar syrup
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
"Steep for 2 weeks. Strain and Filter. Add sugar syrup and vanilla extract. Age as long as possible (at least one week).
I found that the vanilla extract smoothed out the vodka's taste without overpowering the raspberries."
First, the recipe calls for vodka but does not mention the proof. The majority of recipes I have seen call for 100 proof or 80 proof, but unfortunately I did not have 80 proof, only 100 at the time. I figured I could dilute it a bit with some filtered water, so I used 2 and 1/2 cups of 100 proof vodka with 1/2 cup water. I really was not being scientific about this, being my first Liqueur. No idea what proof the final product will end up as.
Liqueur Review: Amaretto di Amore
Amaretto di Amore - Amaretto Liqueur
Amaretto di Amore has been around a while and Amaretto itself has history going way back. You have definitely either seen it in a bar or drank it in a cocktail. A 750ml bottle of Amaretto di Amore typically goes for around $12 - $15.
Let's take a sip.
Background:
Amaretto is defined by most sources as an Almond-flavored Liqueur made from either Almond or Apricot pits. Turns out they have a similar flavor.
The origin of Amaretto is in Italy, however there are several brands produced in America and other lands around the world. Amaretto di Amore's label (from my older bottle) says it is produced by the Barton Distilling Company which appears to have been acquired by the Sazerac Company in early 2009.
Visual:
A first glance at the liquid in this bottle and you really get the idea of Almonds. It is a light golden brown with almost a hint of orange to it.
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