Home-made orange liqueur

Triple sec ornge liqueur

Orange liqueur is a sweetened neutral alcoholic spirit (typically vodka), around 60-80% proof, with an orange flavouring.

It is great either as an after-dinner sipper (served chilled straight up, on the rocks or topped with light soda) or to make cocktails (including Cosmopolitan, Long Island Iced Tea, Mai Tai, Margarita and Mimosa). 

Orange liqueurs are also used in cooking recipes to add a sweet citrus flavour to cakes, create syrups for fruits, or as a marinade or glaze for meats.

Curaçao

Orange liqueur is made either in the curaçao (pronounced kurra-sow) tradition with a darker amber-gold colour and a spicier taste, or straight-up as a lighter-coloured triple sec.

Historically, curaçao as the name suggests originated in the Caribbean island of Curaçao, and is made by mixing cognac or brandy with vodka and flavouring with the dried bitter orange peels. For added sophistication, a hint of clove and cinnamon is used.

Triple sec on the other hand originated in France and uses less sugar, making the concoction less sweet or drier (sec in French). There is much debate regarding the ‘triple’ part but connoisseurs agree it’s an empty albeit catchy term ‘Triple sec’  - that everyone loves to throw around with great abandon. 

My gardening friend Rajiv graciously offered me an ample of tree-ripened Navel oranges 🍊 - the zest of which had an irresistible aroma. I supplemented this with desiccated bitter orange peels, available at my local ‘More beer, more wines’ store for added authenticity.

Recipe for ORANGE CURACAO

Source: https://www.seriouseats.com/diy-orange-liqueur-homemade-triple-sec-curacao-for-cocktails-recipe 

Ingredients for 4 cups:  

  1/4 cup or 25 g of peels from 3 to 4 oranges

  1 Tbsp dried bitter orange peel

  1 cup of 95% alcohol or vodka

  1 cup brandy

  1/3 teaspoon cinnamon

  4 cloves

  1 1/2 cups water

  2 cups of sugar

Time taken: It will take about 25 days as first the peels have to infuse in alcohol for 15 days then mixed with the syrup and rest for another 10 days.

Method:  

  1. Peel the oranges very thinly trying to avoid the pith of the orange

  2. In a large bottleneck insert the orange zest and dried peels and pour in the vodka and brandy

  3. Let it rest for 14 days, shaking it every second day. On the 14th day add the cloves and cinnamon and let it sit for one more day.

  4. To make the simple solution dissolve the sugar in the water by boiling it

   Let it cool down completely

   Filter the peels immersed in alcohol through a sieve to discharge the orange peels

   Put the alcohol back in the bottle after you washed it

   Add the cold syrup

   Shake well and let it rest for another 10 days before consuming

Why better time to learn how to say cheers in different languages as you sip on the orange liqueur 

Salud! (sah-LOOD, Spanish) 

Santé! (sahn-TAY, French)

Prost! (prohst, German)

Skål! (skohl, Swedish/Danish/Norwegian:)

Cin cin! (cheen cheen, Italian)

Saúde! (sah-OOH-jeh, Portuguese)

Sláinte! (SLAHN-juh, Irish Gaelic)