Cranberry Vodka

By Alip @alisonpikeGD

Ho Ho Ho!

The festive season is nearly upon us, I am a lover of all things Christmas so I apologize in advance for the Christmas chatter that is inevitable!  The weekend just gone saw the baking of the Christmas cake and the making of cranberry vodka.  I’ve never tried this before and I won’t know what it’s like till Christmas as it needs 6 weeks to soak but I think it’s going to be worth it.

Cranberry Vodka

200g fresh cranberries
70g unrefined sugar
700ml vodka
50ml Cointreau

Put the cranberries and sugar into a sterilized 1 liter jar and crush the fruit until the juice runs.  Add the vodka, stir and seal the jar.  Store in a cool, dark place for 6 weeks, giving the jar a shake every now and then.  When the 6 weeks is up strain the vodka back into a sterilized bottle and add the Cointreau.

To serve, put a few frozen cranberries into a chilled martini glass, add a twist of orange and pour over the cranberry vodka.

I made this at the weekend and I have just checked on the jar camping out at the bottom of my wardrobe and the vodka is already the most gorgeous rich red colour….. very Christmassy!