Homemade cranberry clementine vodka and a Christmas cocktail
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Recipe type: Cocktail
Cuisine: Christmas
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 750ml
 
This easy recipe for homemade cranberry clementine vodka makes a great Christmas gift - and the base for a refreshign Christmastini cocktail!
Ingredients
  • about 300g fresh cranberries
  • peel of 1 whole clementine
  • 75g sugar
  • 750ml vodka
  • 1 whole star anise
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 4 whole cloves
  • You will need a 1 litre capacity jar or bottle with a wide neck and a tight-fitting lid.
  • FOR THE COCKTAIL:
  • 25ml cranberry clementine vodka
  • cranberry juice
  • tonic water
  • clementine zest
  • ice
Instructions
  1. Rinse the cranberries and use the tip of a sharp knife to score or prick each one (you can also crush some lightly if you are in a hurry).
  2. Peel a clementine and reserve the peel. Cut into strips and using a very sharp knife, scrape off as much of the white pith on the back of the beel as you can, leaving just the orange skin.
  3. Place the cranberries, peel, spices, sugar and vodka into a large jar with a tight-fitting lid (I saved a giant 1 litre pickle jar for this!). Close lid tightly and give it a good shake to start dissolving the sugar.
  4. Keep sealed in a cool, dark place and shake the bottle at least once a day until all the sugar has dissolved (should take less than a week). Once the sugar is dissolved you can strain and bottle immediately, but I left mine for 2 months or so to fully develop the flavours. Once strained and bottled, this makes an excellent gift, or can keep pretty much indefinitely in your drinks cabinet (if you don't finish it first!).
  5. TO MAKE ONE CHRISTMASTINI COCKTAIL:
  6. In the bottom of a pretty glass, pour 25 ml of vodka over crushed ice. Top up the rest of the class with ⅓ cranberry juice and ⅔ tonic water. Garnish with clementine zest and serve immediately.
Recipe by Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography at https://www.cooksister.com/2014/12/homemade-cranberry-clementine-vodka-christmas-cocktail.html