Orange Liqueur Recipes

ORANGE LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Wash the oranges well with soap and water.
• Pare very thinly the bright-colored rind from the oranges (no white).
• Blot the peel on paper towels to remove any excess oil.
• Put the peel in a 4 cup screw-top jar.
• Add 2 cups vodka.
• Close jar.
• Store in a cool, dark place for 2 days or until the vodka has absorbed the flavor.
• Remove the peel and add the remaining vodka, along with the superfine sugar.
• Close the jar and store in a cool dark place at least 1 month to age.

HOMEMADE ORANGE LIQUEUR RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from two navel oranges.
• In a 1-quart jar, add the vodka, fresh orange peel, and dried bitter orange peel. Seal, shake well, and let infuse in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks (or up to 1 month), shaking the jar every day or two.
• The day the infusion is complete, make a rich simple syrup: Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir in the sugar until completely dissolved and the syrup is clear. Reduce to a simmer. After 5 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and let cool completely.
• Strain the orange peels from the vodka using a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth.
• Rinse out the infusion jar and use it to blend the orange liqueur by adding 3/4 cup of the simple syrup to the orange-infused vodka. Shake very well for at least 30 seconds. Taste the liqueur and add more syrup to sweeten to taste.
• Transfer the orange liqueur to a bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid and use in your favorite cocktail recipes.

ORANGE CREAM LIQUEUR DESSERT

Steps:

• Scoop vanilla ice cream into dessert cups. Top each cup with 1-ounce orange liqueur. Garnish with orange zest and slices of orange.

BLOOD ORANGE LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Make simple syrup by heating 2 1/2 cups water and 3 cups sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 5 minutes. Let cool before using. Any extra will keep in the refrigerator for a month or so, and is good for sweetening iced tea, etc.
• Wash, dry and peel the zest from the oranges and lemons, being careful not to take any of the pith. Place in a large glass jar.
• Remove pith from two of the oranges. Cut up the fruit and add to the jar. (You will not use the remaining oranges in this recipe).
• Stir to smash the fruit a bit, add the vodka, ginger and lemon and seal the jar.
• Place in a cool, dry spot, away from sunlight for two weeks, swirling it about occasionally.
• Stir in the simple syrup, reseal, and again set aside for two weeks, swirling occasionally.
• Strain the liqueur.
• Filter it through a double layer of cheesecloth into a pitcher.
• Filter a final time through 2 new layers of cheesecloth into the final bottle.