Fruit-flavoured Gins (and Vodkas!)

Recipe for: GINS (fruit-flavoured)

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs sloes, bullaces, damsons or plums (or sour cherries) – see below
• 6 oz sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 litre (or more) of gin – the cheapest you can buy

 Method:

1. wash the fruit, but no need to stone
2. prick every fruit with a fork & place into a clean demi-john
3. add the sugar & vanilla extract
4. cover with the gin
5. stopper the demi-john with a bung or air-lock
6. shake the demi-john vigorously until the sugar is dissolved
7. place demi-john in a cool dark place, label with contents & date
8. shake the contents every few days for the next 3 months
9. when the liqueur is ready, remove the fruit (depending on what it is, this can be eaten in small quantities as a VERY boozy sweet with cream/ ice-cream/ yoghurt)
10. filter the remaining contents through several layers of muslin & a funnel into another demi-john.  You may need to do this more than once, until you have a fairly clearish liquid.  Try to let the liquid drain through itself, rather than squeezing, as this will help to keep the liqueur clear rather than cloudy
11. then decant again into sealable bottles. 
12. label the bottles

 What else you need to know:

1. traditionally, the fruit is picked in August/ September when it is fairly ripe, and the resultant liqueur can be bottled in time for Christmas (sloes are best after a frost, but this is not vital)
2. the liqueur will keep for years, and improves after a year or two
3. if a sediment forms in the bottom of the bottle(s), it can be re-filtered & re-bottled
4. fruits with a hard stone work the best.  I’ve used apples, peaches, pears, black-currants – they all work OK, but sloes are the very best.
5. Works equally well with vodka!