Note: This was posted on Facebook before, but is well fit for here as well.
About 10 years ago, I got in touch with this vodka when it was prepared by a good brazilian friend of mine. She’s given me the recipe, which I’ve adapted a bit to my wishes.
The original recipe included the following ingredients:
- vodka
- ginger
- clove
- cinnamon
- sugar
I’ve exchanged the sugar with honey, which gives a better taste, yet that’s a personal preference.
So what do you need in order to prepare for this:
- big pot that can contain about 4-5 bottles of vodka.
- kitchen funnel (the more you have, the quicker you’ll finish)
- kitchen paper towels
Yet I’ve never really noted the quantities, I’ll try to give them as I used them to make 4 bottles at once, last time. I think it’s easier to tune the taste when you prepare bigger quantities.
Note: As I don’t know the exact quantities, I’ve tried to visualize them.
Ingredients (quantities for 4 bottles)
- vodka (use a cheap one, you will obliterate any difference in taste anyway)
- dried clove (quantity: a single layer on your handpalm)
- ginger (quantity: about a single but big root)
- cinnamon sticks (quantity : take the amount of sticks that fit inside the circle you make with your middle finger and your thumb)
- One pot of honey (500gr)
Preparations:
- Peel the ginger root, and cut into it into blocks, you may want to fit some in the bottles after the drink has been poured in.
- Break the cinnamon sticks into smaller pieces.
Mixing it all together.
Pour all the vodka, ginger, clove and cinnamon sticks into the big pot, and put it on a stove. Turn up the heating, and stir. As the mix is getting warmer, add the honey.. It will more easily dissolve and come off the spoon or whatever utensils you’re using. Heat up until it’s boiling and turn off the heating. Close the lid and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Now comes the hardest work (and slowest, if you only have one funnel). Get your bottles, your funnel(s) and paper towels ready. The paper towels are meant for filtering the mixture, as it contains a lot of cruft from the ginger and cinnamon, that comes free after the cooking and stirring.
Make about 4 layers of paper towels and put them in the funnel. Slowly pour the mixture through the paper towel filter. Due to the honey you’ll see that it clogs up rather quickly. (This is the main reason I didn’t use coffee filters, they’re even worse.). After a little while, you’ll have to squeeze out the last drops from the paper-towel-filter, otherwise you loose too much. Be careful, as it easily rips open.
When this is done, there you have your spiced vodka. You could opt to add some ginger blocks and cinnamon sticks in the bottle to draw some more taste.
Quantities can still be adjusted to your own taste, of course. I still consider this recipe imperfect and it’s still open for improvement.
Have fun with your creations, and cheers!
