Pattypan's Pantry Projects Jumbleberry Liqueur

Another last minute drink for the Christmas drinks trolley which does not take long to make at all. I have used a 450g bag of frozen mixed fruits for this quick home-made liqueur.  I already had a bottle of vodka in the cupboard.  I tend to call any mixed red fruit combination "Jumbleberry" and have done for many years.

You will need a large preserving jar with a rubber seal.  This will need sterilising in a hot water bath, in the oven or with baby sterilising solution or the dishwasher if you have one. Once the jar is sterile you can then proceed to make the liqueur.

Decant the frozen fruit into the jar and then add in the vodka or gin.  You can use rum as well.  This one involves a little patience but it is worth the wait.

Add a little sugar stir it up and then seal the jar.  Leave for about a month shaking the jar everyday to make sure that the sugar has dissolved.  I have initially used only about 100g of fruit, and will taste after the month if not sweet enough will add a little more but I do not like the drinks to be spoiled with over-sweetening them.  So I err on the side of caution and add a little at a time.  You can easily add in small increments where if there is too much it is not always possible to decrease the sweetness.

Here is my jar already steeping now just have to wait about three to four weeks to finish it off.

After your period of patience you then do the following:-

Strain off the fruit initially through a sieve retaining the alcohol in a separate bowl.  Then make a trifle with the strained fruit or add it to melted chocolate stirring until well mixed to make an alcoholic chocolate bark.  Line a tray and then cover the lined tray with the chocolate mixture and allow to cool and set. This is to use the pulp up straight away.  Alternatively put it in the freezer and use for trifle or chocolate bark for Christmas celebrations.  I have thought of using the pulp up in a jam but need to test this out to see if it works first.

Strain the "liqueur" liquid again this time through some fine muslin to take out any sediment.  Sometimes this is worth doing two or three times.  The sediment does not make the drink look very clear so I try and get it as clear as I can.

Decant into fresh sterilised bottles and add to the pantry shelf for a little tipple through the colder months.  Equally a small bottle of this can be added to a home created Christmas hamper.

Enjoy on a cold winter's day.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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