Sometimes the simplest things that we don’t have to worry about are the best, and strawberry liqueur is definitely one of them. The process of making this delicious drink is not complicated and will only take a little time.
Although it is not made as often here as some other liqueurs such as walnut or cherry liqueur, strawberry liqueur is characterized by a special, pleasant and irresistible aroma. To make it, choose only ripe red and firm garden or forest strawberries.
Characteristics of strawberry
Strawberries are perennial herbaceous plants whose name comes from the Latin word “fragum”, which in translation means strawberry, while “fragrare” means to smell, all thanks to its extremely pleasant smell. Apart from the smell, what is characteristic of strawberries is certainly their delicious fruit, which is one of the first fruits we pick in the spring.
In addition to the most common way of boiling strawberries into jams, jams and marmalades, we also often use them to prepare syrups, juices and liqueurs. They are best consumed fresh with sugar, and they are also mixed into various smoothies, creams and ice creams.
Types of strawberries for processing
For the preparation of strawberry liqueur, we have two most characteristic types at our disposal:
- garden strawberries
- wild strawberries
Garden strawberries
Garden strawberries are perennial plants that overwinter without any problems in our climate planted in any type of soil, which is why they are resistant to cold and high heat. Planted in a place with a lot of light, it will have a rich harvest that you can use to prepare marmalade, jam, jam, strawberry syrup or liqueur.
Wild strawberries
Although they usually grow along meadows, paths and roads, we often plant wild strawberries in our gardens, which are significantly different from garden ones in fruit size and smell.
Harvesting strawberries
Strawberries should be picked before they reach full maturity, when 3/4 of the fruit is red and the rest is still green. The first harvest takes place at the end of May and lasts throughout June, and depending on the varieties, until the beginning of July. Harvest them during dry weather, carefully tearing off the fruit and the entire stem in order to damage the plant and the fruit as little as possible. Place them in shallow dishes or baskets, and if you do not plan to process them immediately, store them at a temperature of 0.5°C. At this temperature, strawberries can be stored for up to a month.
Recipe for strawberry liqueur
We have prepared a simple recipe for making this liqueur, and all you need are four ingredients and a little good will.
Ingredients
- 1 kg of strawberries
- 1 liter of water
- 800 g of sugar
- 1 l of homemade brandy
Preparation
- First, wash the strawberries and remove any damaged parts
- Cut them into smaller pieces and put them in a sterilized jar, a row of strawberries, a row of sugar, and repeat the process until you use up all the strawberries.
- Pour brandy, close the jar and leave it in the sun for 3 weeks.
- Shake the jar occasionally to make the mixture uniform
- After three weeks, add the sugar that you boiled in a liter of water.
- Strain everything together through cheesecloth into a jar and let it stand for at least three months.
Recipe for strawberry liqueur without sugar
If for some reason you can’t or don’t want to use sugar, below is a recipe for strawberry liqueur with honey.
Ingredients
- 1 kg of strawberries
- 1 l brandy (cider, vine)
- 6 – 10 sprigs of mint
- 4 – 8 dl of honey
Preparation
- Clean and wash the strawberries
- Place in a sterilized wide-mouth jar, add mint and pour brandy over it
- Close the jar and let it stand for 3 weeks in a dark place
- After 3 weeks, strain the liquid through cheesecloth, add honey, mix and let it stand for another 4 weeks with additional shaking.
Recipe for strawberry liqueur with vodka
Strawberry liqueur made with vodka instead of brandy is a little stronger, but it also retains the flavor of the fruit better.
Ingredients
- 1 kg of strawberries
- 1 kg of sugar
- 0.5 l of vodka (40-45%)
Preparation
- Wash the strawberries, remove any damaged parts and cut them in half
- In a sterilized jar, arrange a row of strawberries, a row of sugar, until you have used up all the strawberries.
- Close the jar and shake several times
- Leave in a warm place (18-25°C) for 10-12 days
- After the strawberries have been candied, add the remaining sugar and vodka, close the jar and shake well to make the mixture uniform. Store in a dark and cool place for 12-16 days.
- Strain through cheesecloth and pour into a sterilized bottle.
You can store the liquor prepared in this way in a dark and cool place for 3 years.
Sterilization of glass bottles
Before pouring the liqueur into glass bottles, they should be thoroughly washed together with the lids in water and sterilized by boiling or in an oven with the opening facing down at 100-150°C for ten minutes. The bottles will be hot so take a glove and immediately turn them open side up so the moisture can escape. Return them to the oven for quick drying for 2-3 minutes at the same temperature.
For bottles that have a hermetic lid, reduce the sterilization time and the oven temperature so as not to damage the rubber on the lid.
If you want to sterilize the bottles by boiling, put an old kitchen towel at the bottom of a tall pot and arrange the bottles with the opening facing down. You can also put old cloths around the bottles so that they do not collide and crack when cooking and boiling water. After the water boils, boil for another 10 minutes, turn off the gas and leave the bottles in the water to cool completely.
Keeping and storing
Store the strawberry liqueur prepared in this way in a cool and dark place, preferably in the refrigerator.
Tips
If you want a clear strawberry liqueur, strain the solution through cheesecloth, and if you want a thicker liqueur, mix half the strawberries with a stick mixer, and leave half in pieces.
Source: Zimnica.net, Photo: PDPics / Pixabay