Calamondin Liqueur
I started making this liqueur when my calamondin tree was still heavy with fruit, even after harvesting pounds of the tart, tiny globes for Calamondin Marmalade. I searched high and low for recipes using this virtually unknown fruit and finally came up with one from Helen Dresback of Homosassa. Her recipe was originally published in the on-line version of Florida’s St. Petersburg Times. I have adapted her version to fill a 2-quart (64-ounce) jar.
The colorful conconction sat on my kitchen counter for a month while the fruit fermented and infused the alcohol with citrus. I shared it with some friends who likened it to nectar from the gods.
Like most liqueurs, this one is quite sweet, even with the bitter, sharp flavors from the calamondins. It’s wonderful in small doses, straight up or over ice. It also makes a fantastic vodka Martini if you substitute the calamonidin liqueur for vermouth.
Ingredients
30 calamondins
2 1/2 cups vodka
3 cups sugar
Instructions
Wash calamondins, cut in half and remove seeds. Put vodka and sugar in 2-quart jar with a tight lid. Shake or stir thoroughly. Add calamondins; cover tightly. Set on kitchen counter.
Every day for 30 days, invert jar. One day, turn right side up; next day, turn upside down. Strain; put in bottle with top; refrigerate.
I made Calamondin Liquer and shared with my family who thought that it was really smooth and sweet. I am going to buy another tree as I want to make more liquer to give away as gifts.
Tonight was the 30 day taste test. W-w-wonderful. Question is it required to remove the fruit and strain or could it be left in. Second question, if fruit is removed, what else can be done with it afterward; boil and batch for marmalade with a little kick, mead or other?
I strained my liquer with a coffee filter, it took awhile but did the job. I took a strainer put the coffee filter over the holes and poured just enough liquer in it as to not go outside the coffee filter limits and then walked away while it filtered. I wondered the same thing about what to do with the fruit when done, threw mine out.
Oh no, you don’t have to throw the fruit out; eat it! It’s wonderful in small doses, and of course soaked with vodka it’s not going to go bad. I’ve even done this with the apples I’ve used to make apple brandy — they’re awesome on ice cream or even by themselves! Keep it in the freezer and serve in very small portions — you won’t regret hanging on to your “drunken fruit”!