Italian Cherry Liqueur. Perfect after dinner cordial, to be enjoyed with friends or to be given as a gift. You can use a bottle with a tight fitting cork or screw top. Wax seals add a nice finished touch. A tablespoon added to pie crust has phenomenal results. Very easy recipe… the hardest part is waiting 6 months for the maceration. Be sure to shake it up when you check on its progress
INGREDIENTS
To make 1 Bottle
1 1⁄2lbs ripe flavourful cherries
1cup sugar, less 2 tablespoons sugar
1⁄3cup water,
1tablespoon water
1 3⁄4cups grain alcohol or 1 3⁄4 cups vodka
DIRECTIONS
You will need to crush the cherries along with their pits. I found it was easiest to use a heavy duty extra large zip lock, adding a handful of cherries at a time, and smash each cherry with a hammer. Be sure to crust the pit well. Push the pulp to the bottom of the bag and add the next handful.
Leave covered in a dark place for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, boil the water and add the sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
Put cherry mixture in a fine muslin bag, or use a fine sieve, and squeeze the juice into a bowl.
Add the cherry juice to the sugar syrup mixture and set aside to cool.
Add alcohol to the cooled cherry syrup.
Pour into a jar with a tight fitting lid and place in a cool dark place for one week.
After one week, filter into a cool looking bottle, seal, and age it for at least six months before you pop the top.
Relax, kick back and enjoy slowly
