Christmas pudding vodka
- 1 bottle (about 700ml) vodka
- 250g dark brown sugar
- 100g mixed peel
- 250g sultanas
- 150g raisins
- Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
- 1 tsp almond essence
- 6 cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 vanilla beans, split, seeds scraped
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp mixed spice
Method
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and cover well with plastic wrap (reserve the vodka bottle and cap). Set aside in a cool place for 1 week, stirring once a day. Strain the contents through a very fine sieve, pressing down well to extract all the liquid. Pour liquid back into the vodka bottle and screw the cap on tightly. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
For an added treat, you can also remove the cloves, cinnamon sticks and vanilla, and then fold the macerated fruits through softened ice-cream to create a very boozy pudding.
P.S. With some extensive post Christmas tasting (in the name of research), we've found that this Christmas Pudding vodka is most delicious mixed with ice cold lemonade!