Homemade Dried Apricot Liqueur (Meilach) Recipe

Miscellaneous Untried Recipes

This is from a collection of recipes from books I own, but which I haven't myself tried yet. However, you can have faith that at least the authors themselves have tried them, so they're not deadly or anything.

From Homemade Liqueurs by Dona and Mel Meilach:

• 1/2 lb. dried, pitted apricots
• boiling water
• 5 whole almonds, or 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2-3 cups vodka or brandy
• 1 cup sugar syrup

Plump apricots by placing them in just enough boiling water to cover the apricots, and allowing them to sit with the heat off for about ten minutes. They should absorb the majority of the water. Remove them from the water and let them cool. Measure the left-over water than the apricots didn't absorb. Add enough vodka to that water to make a total volume of 3 cups. Add the apricots and the almonds (or almond extract). Steep for 2 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain and filter. Add sugar syrup. Mature 1 to 2 weeks.

Optional flavorings: 1 pinch cinnamon or cinnmon stick; 1 pinch ground cloves or 2 whole cloves; 2- to 3-inch square fresh coconut; 1/4 cup flaked coconut or 1 drop coconut extract; 1 small piece sliced and scraped lemon peel.