Post by auriela on Dec 30, 2013 0:45:55 GMT
Star Anise Schnapps
Star anise schnapps - based on dried star anise fruit pods - is soft, sweetish and very aromatic with a fine taste of liquorice. The colour is light to dark brown.
The schnapps is often used to blend with other schnapps that are based on aromatic herbs or dark berries.
Recipe
Use fresh, dried star anise fruit pods.
You can use ordinary anise (Pimpinella anisum), but star anise has a much more sophisticated flavour and is therefore more suitable for schnapps making.
Direction:
• Put 4-5 dried fruit pods in a clean glass jar with tight-fitting lid.
• Cover with 10 centilitre clear, unflavoured vodka - 40% (80 proof).
• Let steep for 2-3 days in a dark place at room temperature,
18-20°C (64-68°F).
• Shake lightly and taste it from time to time - it must not get bitter.
• Strain and filter your infusion into a clean glass bottle or jar with tight-fitting lid.
• Store (age) for at least 1 month in a dark place at room temperature before serving.
If after this period you can always add sugar, but add it by following the sugar syrup recipe
Sugar Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
• 1 part white, granulated sugar
• 2 parts water
• A little lemon juice
Direction
• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan.
• Cover it and slowly heat over medium heat.
• Stir occasionally.
• Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Do NOT boil.
• Add a little lemon juice to prevent crystallization.
• Let the sugar syrup cool to room temperature.
Add the sugar syrup to your infusion. Little by little, until it suits your taste.
Leave the infusion for a couple of days to settle - in a dark place at room temperature.
Then taste it again, it might need some more sugar syrup.
Never use artificial sweeteners - NEVER! You will ruin the taste.
If your are not satisfied with your infusion - or schnapps blend - it might help if you store (age) it a little longer, 2-3 months for instance.
You can also try by adding just a little star anise schnapps or orange schnapps.
Star anise schnapps works best in bitter-blends and blends based on aromatic herbs.
Orange schnapps works excellent in both bitter, aromatic and sweet infusions.
Allow to settle for a couple of days.
Sherry - a great helper
You can also try to add a little sherry. Either the dry Fino with almond flavours - or the softer Amontillado with hazelnut flavours.
Sherry helps to round off the flavours in almost any bitter and aromatic infusion. The Amontillado works best in most cases.
If your are still not satisfied with your schnapps
Honey instead of sugar
You can use a little honey instead of sugar to enhance flavours. But only if the honey flavours suit the flavours of your infusion.
Use approx. one table spoon honey per litre infusion.
Melt the honey in a small saucepan and add it to your infusion little by little until the taste suits you. Shake it - don't use whisk or blender. Leave it for a couple of days to settle. Add more honey if needed.
Star anise schnapps - based on dried star anise fruit pods - is soft, sweetish and very aromatic with a fine taste of liquorice. The colour is light to dark brown.
The schnapps is often used to blend with other schnapps that are based on aromatic herbs or dark berries.
Recipe
Use fresh, dried star anise fruit pods.
You can use ordinary anise (Pimpinella anisum), but star anise has a much more sophisticated flavour and is therefore more suitable for schnapps making.
Direction:
• Put 4-5 dried fruit pods in a clean glass jar with tight-fitting lid.
• Cover with 10 centilitre clear, unflavoured vodka - 40% (80 proof).
• Let steep for 2-3 days in a dark place at room temperature,
18-20°C (64-68°F).
• Shake lightly and taste it from time to time - it must not get bitter.
• Strain and filter your infusion into a clean glass bottle or jar with tight-fitting lid.
• Store (age) for at least 1 month in a dark place at room temperature before serving.
If after this period you can always add sugar, but add it by following the sugar syrup recipe
Sugar Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
• 1 part white, granulated sugar
• 2 parts water
• A little lemon juice
Direction
• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan.
• Cover it and slowly heat over medium heat.
• Stir occasionally.
• Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Do NOT boil.
• Add a little lemon juice to prevent crystallization.
• Let the sugar syrup cool to room temperature.
Add the sugar syrup to your infusion. Little by little, until it suits your taste.
Leave the infusion for a couple of days to settle - in a dark place at room temperature.
Then taste it again, it might need some more sugar syrup.
Never use artificial sweeteners - NEVER! You will ruin the taste.
If your are not satisfied with your infusion - or schnapps blend - it might help if you store (age) it a little longer, 2-3 months for instance.
You can also try by adding just a little star anise schnapps or orange schnapps.
Star anise schnapps works best in bitter-blends and blends based on aromatic herbs.
Orange schnapps works excellent in both bitter, aromatic and sweet infusions.
Allow to settle for a couple of days.
Sherry - a great helper
You can also try to add a little sherry. Either the dry Fino with almond flavours - or the softer Amontillado with hazelnut flavours.
Sherry helps to round off the flavours in almost any bitter and aromatic infusion. The Amontillado works best in most cases.
If your are still not satisfied with your schnapps
Honey instead of sugar
You can use a little honey instead of sugar to enhance flavours. But only if the honey flavours suit the flavours of your infusion.
Use approx. one table spoon honey per litre infusion.
Melt the honey in a small saucepan and add it to your infusion little by little until the taste suits you. Shake it - don't use whisk or blender. Leave it for a couple of days to settle. Add more honey if needed.