I wish I had better pictures of this, but frankly, the liqueur is sitting in my cupboard in a glass container. It's not exactly photogenic. But, once it has finished curing on December 5th, I'll be sure to post a few shots.
The Korean chestnuts turned out to be a bit of a dud. I just couldn't get them to peel correctly. They were too moist, really.
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| Italian Chestnut (left) and a Korean Chestnut (right) |
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| Peeling an Italian Chestnut |
Right now, I can tell you that I'm loving the vanilla beans suspended in the liquid! Pure heaven, I tells you.
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| Liquid Gold! |
I should warn you, this isn't a full strength liqueur - you do simmer the brandy with the spices for 1 minute.
Marroni al Liquore
(Canadian Living)
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar
1 cup (250 mL) water
4 whole allspice
2 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 half vanilla beans, split lengthwise
2-1/2 cups (625 mL) prepared chestnuts
1 bottle brandy (750 mls)
Preparation:
In wide saucepan, bring sugar, water, allspice, cloves, bay leaves and vanilla bean to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Stir in chestnuts; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.Stir in brandy and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Skim off any foam. Discard allspice, cloves, bay leaves and vanilla bean. Using slotted spoon, divide chestnuts among six 1-cup (250 mL) canning jars. Pour syrup over top. Seal jars with lids; let stand in cool dark place for 2 weeks before using. (Make-ahead: Store for up to 2 months.)
