Mandarin liqueur

 

Mandarin liqueur, Citrus fruits are excellent allies in the kitchen: precious ingredients that can flavor all courses, from appetizers to desserts. In the tradition there is no shortage of liqueurs prepared with their peels: in addition to the most famous limoncello there is also the one made using tangerines, often called mandarinetto. A liqueur with an intense orange color, very fragrant and with a sweet taste; preparing it at home is very simple, just be patient and wait a couple of weeks.

Using the untreated tangerines from our plants, we will give ourselves a pleasant memory of winter every time we open the bottles of tangerine liqueur prepared with our hands.

The recipe is really simple: infusion of alcohol and mandarin peels, only the orange peel without the white part. Then you need the right rest time, the addition of a syrup of water and sugar, a second rest and voilà: bottles of liqueur ready to be shared at the table or given to friends and relatives.

Preparation time: about 2 weeks of rest

Dish: liqueur

Seasonality: winter recipes

Ingredients for 500 ml of liqueur (approximately):

250 ml of alcohol

4 untreated mandarins

250 ml of water

200 g of granulated sugar

How to prepare the tangerine liqueur

Peel the tangerines, removing the inside, white part with a knife. The liqueur must be made with the orange peel of the clementine, while the white is bitter and unpleasant, which would ruin the aroma. Once the peels have been scratched, infuse them in alcohol and let them rest in the dark for about a week, shaking the container from time to time.

After the time has elapsed, filter the alcohol and pour it into a glass bottle, using a funnel and a clean cloth or gauze. Add the syrup, once cooled, of water and sugar: prepare it by heating the water and sugar over low heat until it reaches a boil and stirring well. Shake the bottle and let the liqueur rest for another week or so. At this point the recipe is finished, as you will have read everything is very simple.

Variations to the classic liqueur recipe

There are numerous ingredients and aromas that we can add to our homemade mandarin liqueur. Here are some examples, you can then unleash your creativity by preparing always different spirits and experimenting with new tastes.

*Cinnamon. Macerate a cinnamon stick together with the mandarin peels to give the preparation a sweet and spicy flavor.

*Honey. Try replacing part of the sugar with acacia or wildflower honey.