Liqueur plays a big role in many great cocktails. So why not make your own using fresh fruit? Without commercial equipment, you can make a mixture that closely approximates liqueur. It’s not officially liqueur but it comes damn close and tastes fantastic. Inspired by roadside berry stands, we combined several berries with cognac to create this delicious treat.
Ingredients
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
1 ½ cups mixed berries (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries)
¾ cup cognac
Instructions
Set aside ½ cup of the fruit in a glass jar. In a sauce pan, bring the water, sugar and rest of the berries to a boil and cook for 3–5 minutes. Let cool, then strain out the fruit and refrigerate the syrup liquid. The fruit you strain out makes a great topping for ice cream, cake, or toast. Pour the cold syrup and cognac into the glass jar with the fruit you set aside earlier. Seal the jar and shake. Let the mixture steep for 4-5 days, shaking once per day. Once desired flavor is achieved, strain out the fruit and store your homemade liqueur in a bottle.
Berry photo by Rhett Maxwell.
