Cherry Liqueur - from "Cordials from Your Kitchen," by Patti Vargas & Rich
Gulling.
This cordial is pretty, piquant, and practically foolproof. Make it with pie
cherries for a light colored liqueur, or use dark Bing cherries for a darker
mellower cordial. Serve in a stemmed cordial glasses so that you can enjoy
the beautiful color.
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 1/2 pounds fresh cherries with pits, stemmed and washed.
2 1/2 cups 100-proof vodka
1 cup brandy
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fruit protector
Make a simple syrup by bringing sugar and water to a boil over medium-high
heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. When clear, remove from heat
and let stand until just warm. Cut cherries in half but don't remove pits.
Put cherries and pits in clean 2-quart container with tight fitting lid. Pour
syrup over cherries and add vodka, brandy, lemon zest, and fruit protector.
Cover and let stand in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks, shaking occasionally to
prevent clumping of fruit.
Use a fine-mesh strainer to strain out solids. Discard. Transfer liqueur to
clean container, cover, and let stand for 2 to 3 weeks. Rack or filter
liqueur into final container such as wine bottle, fruit jar, or decanter.
Yield: Approximately 1 1/2 quarts.
The character, color, and flavor of a cherry liqueur depend on the type of
cherries used. Royal Ann cherries are mellow and golden; sour cherries - also
called pie cherries - are tart and bright red; burgundy cherries - also called
Bing cherries - are rich, sweet, and deep red. For a liqueur with a little
zing, use pie cherries. For one with a deep golden color, Royal Gold Liqueur
will please both your eye and your palate.