Homemade frozen berry tincture is a great way to recycle leftover supplies ahead of the new season. Subject to the technology, the drink will turn out to be almost as tasty and aromatic as from fresh raw materials.
Theory
Any berries are suitable, but the most delicious are frozen cherries, blackcurrants and raspberries. It is advisable not to mix different raw materials in one drink, because then the result is unpredictable.
Dry freezing is ideal, as it minimally affects the berries. If the fruits were frozen with water, then after defrosting they should be used together with the thawed liquid.
To preserve the aroma and taste of berries, it is very important to defrost them correctly – not to expose them to temperature shock (sudden temperature changes). 12-24 hours before the start of cooking, the berries are left in a conventional refrigerator chamber with a temperature of + 2-4 ° C.
As an alcohol base, you can take vodka, diluted ethyl alcohol or well-purified odorless moonshine. Gin (will give juniper notes) or inexpensive brandy (tincture will turn out with oak notes of aging) is also suitable.
Approximate amount of frozen berries per 0,5 l of alcohol base:
- cherry – 450-500 g;
- raspberries – 350-400 g;
- strawberries – 400-450 g;
- blackcurrant – 250 g;
- red currant – 350 g;
- blueberries – 250-300 g.
Any other berries can be mixed with an alcohol base in a ratio of 1: 1, it definitely won’t be worse. It is not necessary to remove the stones, since freezing neutralizes the substances that give bitterness.
Frozen Berry Tincture Recipe
Ingredients:
- frozen berries – 250-500 g;
- vodka (moonshine, alcohol 40-45% vol.) – 0,5 l;
- lemon zest – 8-10 g (optional);
- sugar, honey or fructose – up to 350 g (to taste).
It is better to sweeten the tincture after aging, but lovers of sweet drinks can add 100-150 g of sugar (honey, fructose) already at the stage of laying the ingredients. Lemon peel enriches the aroma with citrus notes that are combined with any berries.
Preparation
1. Defrost the berries and put them in a glass bottle or jar for infusion.
2. Scald the lemon with boiling water and wipe dry, then carefully remove the zest with a knife or a vegetable peeler – the yellow part without white bitter pulp. Add zest to berries. Add sugar or other sweetener if desired.
3. Pour in the alcohol base. Alcohol should completely cover the berries, add more if necessary. Mix.
4. Seal the container tightly, then transfer to a dark place at room temperature. Insist 25 days. Shake every 4-5 days.
5. Strain the finished tincture of frozen berries through 2-3 layers of gauze, squeeze the berries (no longer needed).
6. Taste the drink, sweeten to taste. Mix, close tightly. Leave for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or cellar to stabilize.
For transparency, the tincture can be filtered at any time through cotton wool or a coffee filter. This will not affect the taste, but only improve the appearance of the drink.
The shelf life of the tincture away from direct sunlight is up to 2 years, the strength is 20-30% vol. depending on the berries and the amount of sugar.
