Orange Bitters
"From Sunset 12/12 issue. I love orange bitters, but did not think you could really make it yourself. I have not tried this yet, but am looking forward to trying. This will keep up to one year refrigerated."
- Ready In:
- 361hrs
- Ingredients:
- 8
- Yields:
-
5 cups
ingredients
- 2 oranges, zest of
- 1 (750 ml) bottle grain alcohol (Everclear)
- 10 cardamom pods (I believe green, but not specified)
- 2 whole star anise pods
- 3 cinnamon sticks, 2 1/2 inches each
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 4 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
- 1 cup sugar
directions
- Preheat oven to 250 deg F. Remove zest from oranges with a vegetable peeler. (Use oranges for some other purpose). Bake until zest dries, starts to curl up and begins to brown, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool.
- Put all ingredients except sugar in a 1 quart glass jar and seal tightly. Let sit in a cool, dark place for two weeks.
- Strain liquid into a 1 1/2 to 2 quart jar, saving the flavorings. Set aside.
- Put flavorings in a small saucepan with 2 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Cook sugar in a small saucepan, lifting and shaking the pan occasionally, until the sugar caramelizes and turns deep amber, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Pour the caramel into the liquid in the saucepan - it will bubble furiously and may firm up. If necessary, return to medium heat and cook, stirring, for a few minutes until the caramel melts.
- Set pan in a bowl of ice water until the liquid is cold, about 10 minutes.
- Pour this liquid into the jar with the first liquid (from step 3). Seal and let stand in a cool, dark place for five days.
- Strain this final mixture through cheesecloth into a glass measuring cup and discard the flavorings.
- Pour into small bottles and seal tightly.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
duonyte
United States
My screen name is a diminutive in Lithuanian for bread, so you won't be suprised to learn that I love to bake bread. In recent years I have been baking a lot of sourdough breads and have several starters sitting in my refrigerator. But I like to cook a lot of other things, as well, especially from various cultures. The cat wishes I would concentrate on meat and fish... I joined a few years ago but started posting recipes and participating in forums just recently - I wish I had done so earlier. Recipezaar is a great community! Right now I am a co-host for the Breads and Baking and the Eastern Europe forums - I hope to see you there!
