How one can Make Hazelnut Liqueur

Cease proper there! Before you purchase that bottle of Frangelico, you would possibly simply have all it’s essential to make this hazelnut liqueur recipe at dwelling.

With the cocktail group’s renewed appreciation for the espresso martini, we’ve additionally additionally seen elevated curiosity within the tasty liqueurs that take this drink to the subsequent degree. Our Take a look at Kitchen has stirred up drinks utilizing chocolate liqueur (see our chocolate espresso martini) and Irish cream (take a look at our Baileys espresso martini), however different liqueurs can even accent the basic—and even be loved on their very own.

Frangelico, or hazelnut liqueur, is a terrific instance. Even cooler: It’s simple to make at dwelling. Right here’s our recipe for do-it-yourself hazelnut liqueur.

What’s hazelnut liqueur?

Hazelnut liqueur is an amber-colored spirit that will get its taste from hazelnuts but in addition has accents of vanilla, caramel, cocoa or espresso. It has a pronounced nutty aroma and taste, a lot stronger than its almond-based cousin, amaretto.

Frangelico is the most well-liked model of hazelnut liqueur in the marketplace. It’s made by infusing a base alcohol with crushed Italian hazelnuts and different flavoring brokers. Different manufacturers, like Fratello and Drago, use related strategies.

You’ll usually see this nutty liqueur served on the rocks or often combined into drinks like flavored martinis or spiked coffee. Liqueurs like this may also be used to taste sweets and baked items, like banana hazelnut French toast and spumoni cookies.

Do-it-yourself Hazelnut Liqueur Recipe

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When you can snag a bottle of this spirit at your native liquor retailer, our Test Kitchen believes that every little thing tastes higher do-it-yourself. Right here, culinary assistant Mark Neufang shares his recipe.

Elements

1/2 pound (about 2 cups) hazelnuts with skins, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons cacao nibs
2 cups vodka, divided
1 cup brandy, divided
1 vanilla bean
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

Step 1: Toast the hazelnuts

For max taste in any nutty recipe, together with this liqueur, all the time toast the nuts. For this recipe, one of the best methodology is to unfold the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake in a 325ºF oven. Toast till the nuts are toasty and aromatic—about 10 minutes.

As soon as toasted, cool the hazelnuts utterly.

Step 2: Steep the flavorings within the alcohol

Subsequent, add the hazelnuts and cacao nibs to a big glass jar. Mark suggests utilizing a quart-sized Mason jar. Then pour in 1 cup of vodka and 1/2 cup of brandy. Cowl the combination and let it stand for per week. Shake the container often.

Editor’s Tip: Not accustomed to cacao nibs? These tidbits are chocolaty however not as candy as chocolate. You could find cacao nibs (generally known as cocoa nibs) at specialty outlets and spice shops.

Step 3: Add vanilla

After per week, it’s time so as to add the vanilla. Use a pointy knife to separate a vanilla bean lengthwise. Scrape the seeds from the pod and add them to the jar of liqueur together with the pod. Add the remaining brandy and vodka and let sit for one week longer. Like final time, give the container a shake infrequently.

Step 4: Pressure

The subsequent step is to pressure the entire substances from the liquid. Do that by pouring the combination right into a cheesecloth-lined colander. Repeat the method, this time utilizing a espresso filter to take away any finer particles. Set the liquid apart.

Discard the nuts, vanilla bean pod and cacao nibs. After steeping within the alcohol for weeks, the flavour has been absolutely extracted. What stays received’t be helpful, so toss them or pop them into your compost bin.

Step 5: Add sweetness

The final step is to sweeten up the liqueur. Warmth sugar and water in a saucepan till boiling. Then cut back the warmth and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Cool this simple syrup utterly.

Lastly, add the cooled syrup to the liqueur. From there, you possibly can serve or retailer.

How one can Serve Do-it-yourself Frangelico

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After taking the time to make this liqueur from scratch, Mark insists that you just take pleasure in at the very least a shot on the rocks. It will allow you to style all of the flavors that you just married collectively to create the right sip.

Hazelnut liqueur can be particularly tasty in heat drinks. The comfortable hazelnut taste does wonders to remodel a cup of hot chocolate. It can also flip your fundamental cup of espresso into one thing particular to savor when you settle in by the hearth.

Cocktails, although, are simply the beginning. Use a splash of your do-it-yourself liqueur in baked items in lieu of amaretto or rum. Attempt a bit on this pumpkin tiramisu or a batch of brownies.

How do you retailer do-it-yourself hazelnut liqueur?

One of the simplest ways to retailer your do-it-yourself Frangelico is in a bottle with a tight-sealing cap or in an air-tight jar, like a Mason jar. For finest outcomes, maintain this liqueur in a cabinet, your liquor cupboard or one other cool, darkish spot.

How lengthy does do-it-yourself Frangelico final?

Do-it-yourself hazelnut liqueur tastes finest when loved inside two months. Should you don’t assume you possibly can take pleasure in a full batch inside this time span, share the wealth! Do-it-yourself liqueurs make nice food gifts.

By comparability, store-bought hazelnut liqueur like Frangelico will maintain indefinitely when unopened. As soon as opened, Frangelico tastes finest inside a number of years. Just like the do-it-yourself selection, this liqueur is finest saved in a cabinet or pantry.

Ideas for Making Do-it-yourself Hazelnut Liqueur

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Do you must peel the hazelnuts to make hazelnut liqueur?

Excellent news: You should not have to peel the hazelnuts to make this do-it-yourself liqueur. The roughly chopped, toasted nuts could be added proper into the liquor combine to steep. Any skins shall be strained away after steeping.

Can you utilize vanilla extract as a substitute of vanilla beans?

Vanilla beans could be laborious to seek out, so it’s completely OK to substitute vanilla extract or vanilla paste of their place. Use a tablespoon of extract or paste in lieu of a bean.

How are you going to regulate this hazelnut liqueur recipe to make it your personal?

One of the simplest ways to make any do-it-yourself liqueur your personal is to begin by utilizing your most well-liked spirits. Should you love brandy (and even cognac), use it on this recipe to present it your personal signature aptitude.

One other approach to tweak this recipe is with the vanilla. Completely different types of vanilla—assume Madagascar-Bourbon, Tahitian or Mexican—have a singular taste profile. A swap like this could additionally give your do-it-yourself spirits a taste that’s distinctly yours.