If you want to Remember The Maine, make a Blood & Sand or even take a swing at a Singapore Sling, then you are definitely going to need the addition of a little cherry liqueur.
Now you could go and buy cherry liqueur but the terms become a little confusing. Making it yourself, on the other hand, is an extremely straightforward process.
When buying it, it doesn’t take long to realise that cherry liqueur can be made from a variety. of spirit bases. Brandy is the most common, so cherry liqueur is often called cherry brandy. Then there’s kirsch or kirschwasser, which is an unsweetened eau de vie distilled from cherries. But sometimes kirsch is called cherry brandy. You can’t use kirsch and cherry liqueur interchangeably, since one is sweet and the other isn’t.
Despite the somewhat confusing name game, it’s actually not difficult to know if you have the right bottle in your hand. Kirsch, the unsweetened eau de vie, is clear in colour, while liqueurs will be dark.
When you are making it yourself, there are a. variety of options you have that. can add to the basic recipe. To add a little bitterness and a slight almond flavour, you could leave the pits in some or all of the cherries. Cinnamon is often added but you could skip it or substitute another spice such as allspice, cardamom, or mace.
If you prefer a stronger brandy flavour, substitute more brandy for the vodka. Other spirits such as bourbon and rum could also work well.
Ingredients
- 6 cups Bing cherries, pitted
- 1 cup brandy
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken (optional)
Directions
1. Put the pitted cherries at the bottom of a sealable glass jar and muddle them with a wooden spoon or muddler to release some juice. Drain the juice into a separate container and set aside. Then add the brandy, vodka, and cinnamon stick to the muddled cherries. Seal and shake the jar. Let steep for one week at room temperature away from direct sun, shaking every few days.
2. Combine the reserved cherry juice, sugar, and water in a pan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool. Once the syrup is cooled, add it to the steeping jar, seal, and shake. Then let it steep for an additional 2 to 5 days. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into glass jar or bottle. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
