In Finland, cloudberries are considered a delicacy. These berries are eaten raw, prepared on their basis, dishes and drinks, including alcoholic ones. The visiting card of the country is cloudberry liqueur, which has become popular far beyond the borders of the country (thanks to the Laponia brand). I propose to make a similar drink according to an old Finnish recipe, it will turn out no worse than a store one.
To prepare liqueur, you need fresh or frozen berries of any kind. Frozen cloudberries are pre-thawed until the fruits can be kneaded into a homogeneous gruel.
Ingredients:
- cloudberries – 250-300 grams;
- vodka (alcohol 40-45%, cognac) – 0.5 liters;
- sugar (honey) – 250-400 grams;
- water – 150-200 ml (for making syrup).
The optimal alcoholic base of the liqueur is vodka or cheap cognac (woody notes will appear). You can also use diluted ethyl alcohol or well-refined moonshine (odorless).
The amount of sugar or honey depends on the desired sweetness; with honey, the drink turns out to be more aromatic and softer. If sugar is used, it is best to prepare the syrup rather than just pouring it into a jar and stirring it.
Cloudberry liqueur recipe
1. Wash the berries in cold water, then chop them to a puree in any available way, for example, with a blender.
2. Pour the resulting berry mass into a jar. Add alcohol base. Mix.
3. Close the jar with a lid. Transfer to a dark place with room temperature. Insist 10 days.
4. Mix water and sugar in a saucepan, bring to a boil, boil for 3-5 minutes over low heat, skimming off the foam. Cool the finished sugar syrup to room temperature and add to the jar with cloudberry infusion.
It is better to mix honey immediately without diluting with water and boiling.
5. Close hermetically. Insist for another 15 days. Shake the contents of the jar once a day.
6. Strain the finished homemade cloudberry liqueur through 2-3 layers of gauze and pour into bottles for storage. If the drink turns out to be cloudy, it can be filtered through cotton wool. The shelf life is up to 5 years. Strength – 25-33% (depends on the amount of sugar and water). After a while, a slight layer of sediment may appear on the bottom, this is normal.
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