Please forgive me dear readers for I am about to get a bit Christmassy on your asses!
I used to struggle each year with what to get for our extended family. Between me and the boy we have lots of brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles to sort presents for and it gets both expensive and stressful. So about three years ago I started making hampers and people loved them. I include all sorts of homemade treats; peppermint creams, chocolate truffles, christmas shortbread, hot chocolate pots and BOOZE. Lots and lots of booze. Homemade alcohol to be precise.
I found that foraging for berries in Autumn and setting everything off meant that I was far less pushed for time and these delicious boozy delights taste amazing after a couple of months of fermenting. I usually make a few bottles of each and then syphon them into smaller 100ml bottles for each hamper with my own handmade labels.
These are three staples that can really add a touch of swank to the hampers and have everyone nice and merry by the time the Turkey’s out of the oven!
What you’ll need:
Either an empty and sterile 2 litre botle from soft drink or still water OR some sexy glass pop-top bottles like I’ve used (I got my from Wilkinsons)
A few handfuls of blackberries, sloe’s and strawberry bon bon’s (or any other sweet you fancy turning boozy – rhubarb and custards/skittles etc.)
Vodka and Gin (I use 70cl bottles of the cheapest possible variety for each batch)
Caster sugar (I use about 180-200g per 70cl, but you don’t need it for the sweet-based booze)
A funnel
What you’ll do:
Funnel your alcohol into your chosen receptacle. I like the 1 litre kilner bottles because that spare 30cl is the perfect amount of room to get your sugar and berries/sweets in!
Funnel in the sugar and then add as as many of the berries as you can until the bottle is nice and full.
SHAKE THAT BAD BOY UP – keep going till most of the sugar is dissolved.
Repeat with the rest and shake every few days. You’ll see the sweets dissolve quite quickly but the fruit takes a few weeks.o get to a nice thick and sticky consistency. I also use a standard kilner jar for the sweet-based booze because you can’t actually get the sweets inside the tall bottles (I discovered this the hard way – yes I’m a numpty).
Just remember you don’t need to add sugar to the sweet-based boozes! There’s plenty in there already to push the alcohol content up a few notches!
I’m hoping this will mean I have lots of lovely alcoholic treats for the hampers this year – although the boy has already declared that these won’t be making it passed Christmas eve. Might need to whip up a second round to keep us happy too.
Side Note – If you are the kind of person that enjoys a shot, try getting a shot glass and adding half sloe gin, and then half strawberry bon bon vodka on top. We call it the strawberry bang bang and it is a total taste sensation!
15 Comments
Emma
October 6, 2013 - 7:42 pmShame I don’t like gin, because these look delicious!
Hmm maybe…
Kelly
October 6, 2013 - 7:44 pmI *hate* gin Emma! Sloe gin is a different beast altogether!
It’s just very very very fruity!
If you’re still not keen to try I would definitely recommend blackberry vodka! Or one of the sweet-vodkas. You can make them just as you would like them with your favorite sweets!
xx
Alison
October 7, 2013 - 10:31 amThese look lovely, I don’t like gin but the vodka would be worth a go
Kelly
October 7, 2013 - 3:40 pmHey Alison!
Sweetie vodkas are my favorite! Lemon Bon Bon makes a great creamy alternative to Limoncello.
Other good combos are raspberry or strawberry (for the fruit based options) or Fruit Salad or Wine Gums for the sweet based!
Nutritious Deliciousness
October 8, 2013 - 1:29 amI do like gin :), would love to try this! Blackberry vodka sounds divine!!!
Kelly
October 9, 2013 - 10:56 amOh it is!!!
It’s sticky and sweet and fruity and HEAVEN
xx
Emily @amummytoo
October 12, 2013 - 8:48 pmI’ve STILL never tried gin, but this makes me want to. They all look amazing!
Thanks for linking up to #recipeoftheweek. I’ve Pinned and Stumbled this post, and there’s a new #recipeoftheweek linky just gone live. I’d love you to pop over and join in again with another fab recipe post 🙂
Carolin
October 28, 2013 - 11:45 pmI love those bonbons, so the vodka with them looks freaking epic. What a great idea!
ScissorsPaperRock
November 20, 2013 - 9:00 amThanks Carolin! It’s soooo tasy! A bit TOO tasty to be honest!
(my annual hangover agrees)
amyrutter
November 2, 2013 - 8:28 pmLove this! What do you use to write the labels?
ScissorsPaperRock
November 20, 2013 - 9:00 amThanks Amy 🙂
I used some little airport tags and I bought a small letter stamp kit from Tiger for £2 to write the names on! x
amyrutter
November 20, 2013 - 6:55 pmLove it!!
Hannah
December 16, 2014 - 7:01 pmHow long do you leave them before consuming/ transferring to smaller bottles? I’ve done a cranberry and orange vodka but I’m not certain how long to leave it, any suggestions are much appreciated, thanks a bunch!
Annie B
August 15, 2015 - 3:48 pmI love gin and am totally inspired by these antics! Great post. Thanks for linking up to #MakingHome
KingJakemus
November 8, 2015 - 12:56 amIm thinking of making a couple for my mum is there a reason you dont take the fruit/sweets out? Its just ive seen skittle vodka and people tend to filter it just wondering why you didnt