It's always great fulfilling the challenge and mastering a skill and this year has been all about learning new skills. This week’s, it is flavoured extracts and it was such a pleasure researching and making these up - I felt that I should have my lab coat on. They are so simple to prepare.
Important tips when preparing flavoured extracts.
- They take 4 to 5 weeks to infuse.
- Leave them in a dark, cool place.
- Use glass bottles or jars, never plastic or metal.
- Ensure that you are using sprigs of herbs that are washed and dried thoroughly.
DIY Flavoured extracts
- These take five weeks to infuse so they will be ready for Christmas baking. You can then just keep rolling out new extracts like coffee and lemon.
- Your glass jar must be sterilised.
- If you want an option for a non-alcoholic one, use liquid glycerine. There are two recipes below for you.
Homemade Vanilla Extract
Makes: 100ml
Ingredients
- 100ml vodka*
- 2 vanilla pods, cut to size
Method
- Pour the vodka into a sterilized glass jar and add the vanilla pods. Seal.
- Leave to infuse for 5 weeks in a cool dark place.
- Gently shake twice a week.
- Once infused, take the vanilla pods out. You can use these pods again.
Homemade Orange Extract
Makes: 100ml
Ingredients
- 100ml vodka
- 4 x 4cm orange peel pieces
Method
- Pour the vodka into a sterilised glass jar. Add the orange peel.
- Seal and leave to infuse for 5 weeks in a cool dark place.
- Gently shake twice a week.
- Once infused, take out the orange peel pieces and discard.
Note: You cannot use the orange peel again.
Homemade Mint Extract
Makes 105ml
Ingredients
- 80ml liquid glycerine
- 25ml cold water
- 5 mint sprigs, washed (ensure that the sprigs are completely dry before using)
Method
- Pour the liquid glycerine into a small, sterilised bottle.
- Pour the water in and carefully shake.
- Push in the mint sprigs and seal the bottle.
- Leave it in a cool dry place for 5 weeks, carefully shaking twice a week.
- When infused, remove the mint sprigs and discard.
Homemade Almond Extract
Makes 105ml
Ingredients
- 40g blanched almond slivers
- 80ml liquid glycerine
- 25ml cold water
Method
- Place the almond slivers into a small, sterilised glass jar and pour over the glycerine and cold water.
- Leave to infuse for 5 weeks. Shake twice a week and leave in a cool dry dark place.
- The extract will be slightly cloudy after a week or so.
- When ready, sieve the mixture into another sterilised bottle. Discard the almonds.
