Plum liqueur

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 kg plum(s), ripe but still firm
• 400 g brown sugar
• 1 star anise
• 5 cloves
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar
• 1 ½ bottles of liquor (corn or other alcohol)

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest period approx. 14 days; Total time approx. 14 days 20 minutes

Wash, dry, and halve the plums. Cut the halves in half or into three pieces. Place all ingredients in a sufficiently large, wide-mouthed jar. If desired, place some plum stones in a tea bag, seal the bag, and add to the infusion. This will impart a light amaretto flavor. Seal the jar and place it on a windowsill or another bright location. Stir the infusion daily while it matures, which will last at least two weeks. After about a week, remove the bag of stones to prevent the bitter almond flavor from overpowering. If the star anise becomes too strong, remove the star anise as well. It’s quite spicy, and if left in too long, the flavor becomes too dominant. Depending on your taste and the type of fruit, you can use a little more or less sugar. The longer the infusion steeps, the better the liqueur will be. After the maturation period, pour the liqueur through a sieve lined with cheesecloth and fill it into clean bottles. The cloves and anise can easily be removed beforehand; they float to the surface. Instead of schnapps, you can also use brandy, rum, vodka, or fruit brandy. If you like cinnamon, you can add a piece of cinnamon stick to the mixture and let it steep to taste. The fruit pieces can be used for ice cream, compote, or jam. If they are still somewhat firm, you can also skewer them and serve them in the liqueur. If you don’t want to use the pieces, you can also push the fruit through a sieve and add it to the liqueur. This makes the liqueur creamy and needs to be shaken before pouring, like strawberry limeade. The liqueur tastes great on its own, on ice or pudding, and also as a shot in mulled wine.