Gin and Juniper Liqueur

Name: Gin and Juniper Liqueur (Liquore Digestivo di Ginepro)
Yield: Makes 1 litre (1¾ pints)
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 200 g (7 oz) fresh juniper berries, crushed; 1 litre (1¾ pints) good gin (possibly Tanqueray, with 43% alcohol); 1 litre (1¾ pints) good gin (possibly Tanqueray, with 43% alcohol); 1 litre (1¾ pints) good gin (possibly Tanqueray, with 43% alcohol); 1 bunch fresh mint; 2 sprigs fresh rosemary; 1 tbsp fresh marjoram; 4 fresh bay leaves; 1 tsp fennel seeds; rind of 1 lemon and 1 lime; rind of 1 lemon and 1 lime; 1 slice fresh root ginger; 300 g (10½ oz) caster sugar or 300 g (10½ oz) clear honey; 300 g (10½ oz) caster sugar or 300 g (10½ oz) clear honey; 1 small sachet saffron powder

Liquore Digestivo di Ginepro

Preparation info

Makes
1
litre

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Antonio Carluccio Goes Wild

By Antonio Carluccio

Published 2001

About

In Italy it is possible to make such a liqueur as this from scratch, because very high proof raw spirit is widely available to buy. Here we have to use a ready-made spirit - in this case, gin - to be reinforced and sweetened. The result makes for an excellent digestif liqueur.

Ingredients

200 g (7 oz) fresh juniper berries, crushed
1 litre (1¾

Europe
Italy
Dinner
Gluten-free
Vegetarian

Method

Use a large jar with a tight lid. Pour in all the ingredients apart from the sugar or honey and leave to macerate for a week.

Dissolve the sugar in a little water then add the saffron and melt over a low heat, until clear and syrupy. Add the syrup to the gin mixture when it is cool and strain everything through a fine sieve. You will have a clear liquid. If using honey, add to the mixtu