When you soak cherries in alcohol, the alcohol draws out the cherry flavor and aroma. This strong liquid is cherry extract, a common part of many dessert and drink recipes. Although you can buy cherry extract at the supermarket, making it from scratch is an easy kitchen project. Cherry extract will keep for months at a tim...e, allowing you access to real cherry flavor even during the winter months.
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
- glass jar with lid
- Fresh cherries
- Vodka or other clear liquor
- Mixing bowl
- Strainer
- Remove the stems and pits from your cherries.
- Fill the jar three-quarters full with cherries.
- Pour in vodka until the jar is full.
- Seal jar. Store in a cool, dark place.
- Allow to sit for two weeks.
- Pour entire contents of jar into mixing bowl. The extract should smell very strongly of cherries. If not, allow to sit for another week and try again.
- Wash the jar.
- Pour liquid back into the jar, keeping cherries out with the strainer
- ORIGINAL SOURCE UNKNOWN
- Grind the almonds using a food processor. Don't process them too long or you'll make almond butter. Process them until they are in fine particles, about the size of raw sugar or the decorative sugar sprinkled on sugar cookies.
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Put the ground-up almonds into a 1-quart glass jar.
- 3
... Add 2 cups of good quality brandy or good quality vodka to the jar. Each of these spirits will create a slightly different flavor in the finished product. Experiment to find which one you prefer.
- 4
Cover the jar and put it in a dark cupboard.
- 5
Shake the jar once a day for six weeks.
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At the end of six weeks, strain the mixture through a coffee filter and place the strained almond extract into small bottles.- Sharon Braugham
- Grind the almonds using a food processor. Don't process them too long or you'll make almond butter. Process them until they are in fine particles, about the size of raw sugar or the decorative sugar sprinkled on sugar cookies.
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Break two cinnamon sticks in half and put them in the jar or glass. A
small glass is all you need about 8 ounces. You can even do this in a
baby food jar.
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2
Pour the rum over the cinnamon sticks. Give the glass a little shake. If your glass doesn't have a lid you can cover it with plastic wrap and swirl the glass instead... of shaking it.
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3
Put the glass in a safe place it doesn't have to be refrigerated. I leave mine on the counter top in my kitchen so i can give it a swirl everyday. Wait at least a week, but two weeks is better. Shake or swirl it every now and then to let the rum pull out the flavors. The longer you wait the stronger your extract will be. I like to leave the cinnamon sticks in the extract so it can just keep getting stronger but some people like to take the sticks out when they feel it's ready.
The stronger your extract is the less you will have to add to get the flavor and that means you don't have to add so much alcohol if you don't want to.
- For a variation, grind two or three whole nutmegs in your food processor or electric coffee grinder and throw them into the cinammon extract. This is cinammon-nutmeg extract.
Sharon Braugham
- ORIGINAL SOURCE UNKNOWN
- Thinly peel one lemon or orange with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife. Just include the peel - no white parts.
- Put peel in mason jar (I prefer half pints) and fill with vodka. Shake every day for six weeks. Is ready after six weeks.
- Sharon Braugham
- Thinly peel one lemon or orange with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife. Just include the peel - no white parts.
Homemade Peppermint Extract
1/4 - 1/2 Cup fresh Peppermint leaves
1- 2 Cups Vodka
... 1 glass jar with tight lid
1. Pick your Peppermint leaves off and bruise by rolling them between your hands.
2. Place Peppermint leaves in a glass jar, cover leaves completely with vodka or it will mold.
3. Store the filled glass jar in a dark, cool and dry cupboard or pantry.
4. Shake, swirl and wait 30 days.
5. After 30 days remove leaves and use in your coffee, lattes, hot cocoa, brownies, ice cream, cakes...etc.
Sharon Braugham
½ Cup Hazelnuts*, skinless
1 Cup Brandy
Procedure:
...
1. Pour hazelnuts into a skillet and toast. This should take about 5-7 minutes. They should be lightly browned not burned. If there are burned nuts don’t add them to the brandy. Once cooled, chop them coarsely.
2. Place in a jar or bottle and cover tightly. Allow at least a month before using.
Sharon Braugham
Elderberry Syrup
ORIGINAL SOURCE UNKNOWN
RECIPE
12/06/2010: Mitch6114 from Gatineau, Quebec writes: "When I feel a cold or the flu starting, I take my Elderberry extract or tincture which is a natural home remedy that is much cheaper than Tamiflu to prevent and cure the flu and the common cold. You can make it easily at home (recipe follows). Elderberries are a goo...d source of Vitamins A, B and C. Have antiviral properties, are rich in anthocyanins (which is good for the heart) have high antioxydant properties.. This tincture will help prevent and heal fever and pain due to the flu, a cold, a sore throat, chills, a cough.
How to make your own Elderberry Tincture or Extract:
First : Dehydrate approximately 2 to 3 lbs of freshly picked eldeberries in an electrical dehydrator or buy already dried elderberries, if available in your area. Place 1/4 to ½ lb of dried elderberries in a clean quart size mason jar, add 1 full bottle of vodka. Put lid on and store in a dark, dry place for at least 30 days. Shake the jar every few days. Then, strain it immediately OR leave the berries in the tincture and strain them when you use the tincture (it will continue to get stronger). Take 4 tbsps of the tincture at the first signs of a cold or the flu, two to three times a day OR take 1 tsp twice a day (morning and night) to prevent you and your family from getting a cold or the flu."
Our readers offer information and opinions not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.
Sharon Braugham
