Recipe#3390

Title: Amaretto

From: MacDonald Jackson trey@big-bird.CS.Berkeley.EDU 
 Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes 
 Subject: Homemade Amaretto 
 Date: 27 Oct 1995 21:49:51 -0500 
 Message-ID: <199510241952.MAA15075@big-bird.CS.Berkeley.EDU> 

1 cup granulated sugar
 3/4 cup water
 2 dried apricot halves
 1 Tbsp. almond extract
 1/2 cup pure grain alcohol and
 1/2 cup water
 1 cup brandy
 3 drops yellow food coloring
 6 drops red food coloring
 2 drops blue food coloring
 1/2 tsp. glycerin
 Combine sugar and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil,
 stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until all sugar is
 dissolved. Remove from heat and cool.
 In an aging container, combine apricot halves, almond extract, grain
 alcohol with 1/2 cup water, and brandy. Stir in cooled sugar syrup
 mixture. Cap and let age for 2 days. Remove apricot halves. (Save
 apricot halves, as they may be used for cooking). Add food coloring
 and glycerin. Stir, recap and continue aging for 1 to 2 months.
 Re-bottle as desired. Liqueur is ready to serve but will continue to
 improve with additional aging.
 Variation: For a more prominent 'bitter almond' flavor, add 4 apricot
 nuts,** split in half, to basic mixture. Leave in for 2 days to 2
 weeks depending upon depth of flavor desired. Remove and discard
 apricot nuts. Continue as directed.
 **Note: Apricot 'nuts' come from within the apricot pit. You may split
 pits yourself or obtain them dried at a health food store.
 -- 
 Trey Jackson
 trEy@cs.bErkElEy.Edu