Cherry Liqueur, Cherry Brandy and Park Farm Cherry Gin

The Park Farm Traditional Orchard Group: Happy Cherry Day! I couldn’t let Lynsted’s very own Cherry Day celebrations pass without sharing a relevant recipe with you. At last year’s Cherry Day I purchased some of the most wonderful freshly picked dessert cherries from the Park Farm Cherry Orchard. I surprised myself by managing to have enough left by the time I got home to make some “Park Farm Cherry Gin”. Usually, freshly picked cherries get eaten in very short order. More difficult was the long wait from July to Christmas before the fruits of my labour could be tested. Harder still was the packaging up of several bottles and giving it away as Christmas presents. A couple of the Orchard Group Committee members have had a taster and given it the thumbs up. So, come along on Cherry Day and purchase some really local cherries and have a go at this lovely recipe.

(a) Cherry Liqueur

Ingredients

Method

  1. Wash and check the cherries to ensure they are not bruised. Remove the stalks.
  2. Place them in a wide necked tightly lidded jar, add the vodka. Shake the jar.
  3. Store in a cool dry place shaking the jar daily for the first three or four days and then at least once a week for 3-4 weeks.
  4. After 3-4 weeks add the sugar and stir to help it to dissolve.
  5. Stir at least once a week for a further 3-4 weeks.
  6. After 3-4 weeks filter the mixture and transfer the liqueur to a bottle. Add some more sugar if necessary.
  7. The liqueur should mellow for at least 4 months before drinking, preferably 8 months.

This recipe can also be made with sweet cherries but the flavour will be slightly different.

(b) Cherry Brandy

Ingredients

Method

  1. Cut off the stalks, leaving about ½ inch in length. Wipe the cherries with a soft cloth and prick them with a coarse darning needle.
  2. Half fill wide necked jars with the prepared fruit and add the required amount of apricot kernels, sugar and cinnamon stick.
  3. Fill the jars with brandy.
  4. Seal the jars tightly and keep for at least three months.
  5. When required drain and filter.

(c) Park Farm Cherry Gin

Ingredients

Method

  1. Remove the stalks from the cherries then wash and drain them.
  2. Prick each one 5 - 10 times with a darning needle and place in your chosen container until the cherries almost reach the top.
  3. Pour in some sugar and shake it down the jar until is comes approximately a quarter of the way up the container.
  4. Pour in the gin until it completely covers the fruit.
  5. Seal the jar/bottle and shake well.
  6. Shake the jar once a day for a week to help dissolve the sugar.

This is ready to drink in 2 weeks but is better left until Christmas before you filter it off the fruit. The remaining fruit can be added to desserts. It is said to last after 20 years but as ours has never lasted that long I couldn’t tell you if this is true.

Images

Sour Cherries - Morello

Sour Cherries - Morello

Sweet Cherries

Sweet or Dessert Cherries