I was a bit bored this afternoon so I decided to do something constructive. There's been a bottle of vodka knocking round the back of my kitchen cupboard for a few months now so I thought I'd have some fun with it.

Werthers Original's Toffee Vodka

I've done this before kids so don't worry. Last time I used Absolut vodka and it was fantastic. This bottle of Smirnoff was a gift... I wouldn't have bought it 'cause it's rough... and I couldn't turn my nose up at it 'cause that'd be rude...but the Werthers are going to make it all better.

First off you should take about a quarter of the vodka out of the bottle, so you've got the space to fit the toffee's in...

Can you see where I'm going with this one?

Yes, thats right. Then you start to place the unwrapped toffee's into the vodka. I used nearly the whole 150g bag.

oooo

Then we top the vodka back up to the brim, like so...

Now this is where it gets technical, (not really). You screw the cap on nice and tight and submerge the whole bottle in warm water. That's warm water... not too hot, and not too cold. Think baby's bottle warm.

Then you have to leave it for a few hours to allow the toffee's to slowly dissolve. I check every hour or so to make sure the water hasn't gone cold and top up with hot accordingly.

as im not to fussed on vodka but i love wothers original but i shall give this a try myself

looks a very interestin combination

And one afternoon later you have your end product. At this point you'll be dying to taste it, but you might want to put it in the fridge for a little while, because warm vodka is basically rank.

Then you get to sample the rewards of all your hard endeavour.
Ish loverly.

Next time kids.... Foxes Glacier Mint Vodka.

Oh, and before you rush to the off licence remember, because this recipe works so well, it's sometimes easy to forget you're drinking neat vodka so... there's your warning!

looks lovely!!

Looks like advocaat

It doesn't taste like advocaat, ish smooth and creamy.
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erm shambo.... were do u live....?????


got no voddi in so im coming to yours x

i think i'll pass - i just know it will taste the same coming up as it did going down (a bit like pernod and black)

omg u just reminded me of my red witch fase

When you cool it all down, does th toffee stay in liquid form??

Thinking this is a good way to save money in uni hahahahaha

That's brought back some real old memories Red witches at stairways! They were the days

I keep mine in the fridge.
If you were to put more toffees in it might start to solidify.

I had no idea they were called red witches -i drank em there and i think even in atmosphere on rock night - or was that when there was a mad dog (20/20) phase - yuk - think that's when my liver stopped speaking to me!

Red witches were cider, pernod and blackcurrant. The MD's were evil

I remember the ones in the little green cans, think that was mad dog too.

I'm thinking Shambo's recipie would make a great ice cream flavour

have to give this ago, bottoms up Shambo

Thats a new one on me matey!
Lived in the old USSR for a while in the 90`s, cool place! Bloody hot in summer and stupid cold in winter! I lived with a Russian family and some of the things they put in vodka are amazing! My fave was Menthol throat sweets (or their equivelant!!) clears the nasal and head, but what a rush!! Drink it neat or with ice, no mixers (CRIMINAL!!!)
Place i wouldnt mind going back to!

I know what you mean Hoseman. One of the best places for vodka was the vodka bar in Harrogate - never seen so many different flavours in my life and they were all from Russia.

Also, Cambridge has a big Russian & Polish community. Ex hubby worked with a lot of them and some of the states he used to come home in (or not sometimes) was amazing.

Aye, thats the joy of vodka. Because it's a 'neutral' spirit it takes very well to flavourings and cocktails. I used to live above a Polish Ex Servicemens Club in Bristol and they gave me a crash course in vodka..... and absinthe. Thankfully I didn't have to stagger far from the bar, (in the basement), to my flat, (on the top floor). Bison was my fave, but I've only ever seen it sold in Revolution vodka bars round these parts. Maybe the expanding Polish population in New Brighton will sort that out.

I've noticed a few places now selling Stolichnaya Russian vodka which gets the Shambo seal of approval, it's quality. Absolut too, (most Scandinavian vodka's really), but not the flavoured ones, (when you can have fun flavouring then yourself).

Absinthe is divine! I was lucky enough to have been bought Black Absinthe as a gift a few years ago - it was evil but was a very pleasant tasting internal hot water bottle in the winter

I have a few Polish friends and have to say, I've never met drinkers like them I can't keep up with them!

Stolichnaya is a very nice vodka - probably one of the smoothest, slips down very easily (too easily) but my Gods the head the next day

mmmmmmm Absinthe

The red Absinthe is nice too

our own wiki alcoholic's annonomous

There's a whole new forum there methinks

or just change the name of this thread its alot easier

Woah thats cool

Why can't I find any Fox's Glacier Mints around here?

I've got a nice bottle of Finlandia here just crying out for their cool, clear refreshing taste. Do they only sell them near old peoples homes or something? Or motorway service stations?

I'm not going to go with some clearly inferior mint.

have u tried asda...

also think B&M sell them if u were near one?

wilkos?woolies??

Just don't use any dodgy Spar Vodka

Counterfeit Vodka

I've tried Asda & Wilkinsons and I don't know what B&M is.
Woolworths is a good shout though, I'll try there next. Thanks for the reminder.

I don't DO cheap vodka MsG. Only the finest of everything for Shambo.

b&m is the shop at the top of grange rd i think it used to be toy and hobby YEARS ago.up by the shoe market xx

Or try Home & Bargain

I was just alerting you to the fact that there's some bad vodka being passed about the country - but then you'd have to be desperate to buy Spar alcohol wouldn't ya?

Foxes also do Black mints, liquorice and aniseed,

We sell foxes in Co-Op

Er, just one question - why UNWRAPPED toffees ?

Like the idea. There is half a bottle of vodka somewhere that I was goung to adapt with fruit (sloes or damsons) for Christmas. This sounds a lot easier.

Snod

Ha, you've got me there... erm... you could put the wrapped toffee's into the vodka if you want... if you wanted soggy paper in your drink.

OK then, here we go with Fox's Glacier Mint Vodka.

Thanks to chiccy, I found the elusive mint in Woolworths.

The Finlandia vodka was on offer at ASDA for just over 12 quid. I had to have a taste before I flavoured it and was impressed. Very clean, very neutral.

Mint vodka - that'll be good for the sinuses!

Same principal as last time folks, you need to take out some vodka to fit the mints in. I am going to use about half the bag of mints, (approx 100g), but you could add a few more or less depending on your personal taste. Be carefull not to add too many or your drink may become syrupy.

Yes MsG. As someone mentioned earlier, menthol type boiled sweets would make an excellent flavouring.

OK Snodvan, pay attention. I'm unwrapping the sweets before I put them into the bottle.

You know whats coming next?

Thats right, the warm bath for the whole bottle. I found it took considerably longer for the mints to dissolve than it did the toffee's.

So simple, yet so effective. This is the best tasting vodka I've ever made.
It helps when you start with quality ingredients though.

This principal can be used with all boiled sweets, e.g. cola cubes, pear drops etc... If the sweets are covered with extra sugar in that crusty way, you might want to rinse them with warm water first, to get rid of that excess sweetness, (or keep it, it's upto you).

If anyone wants to experiment with another flavour, please tell us about it.

Next time I think I'm gonna go for a real cherry infusion , slighty more dificult, (not really).

Shambos Flavoured Vodka nice one bud

OK OK - so I was having a "senior moment". I read the words OK but my brain told me you were NOT unwrapping the sweets.

Can't help being a twit

Snod

If you want high fibre vodka leave the wrappers on

OK then, it's been a while but here we go with cherry infused vodka.

After a hard Christmas on the booze, I found this untouched present, (to myself), in the kitchen cupboard.

So I thought I'd best get myself down to the shops for some cherries. These were the only ones they had, and a little pricey too. I suppose it's because they're out of season. These lil beauties were flown in from South America. I don't know what's 'extra special' about them other than they're abit big.

First thing is to give 'em a good wash. All fruit from the supermarket needs a good wash imho, they're covered in pesticides, preservatives and waxes to keep 'em looking shiney on the shelf for longer.

Then we have to find a nice, clean, airtight jar to put all the ingredients in. Me being a cheffy type of person, I've got lots of these 'parfait' jars knocking about. They come in handy for all sorts of things. This one holds 1 litre...

Next up we have to pit the cherries, (take the stones out).

Actually, it's not vitally important to pit the fruit, you could just score the flesh with a knife. Thing is, if you leave the stones in, your finished product will take on an almond taint. This is because the stones contain a minute amount of cyanide which smells of almonds. It'd never be enough to actually harm you though and maybe you might prefer cherry almond flavour.

This one looked remotely like a bum. *snigger*

I've sent a photo to Ester Rantzen...

Then place all your pitted fruit into your storage jar.

Then add some sugar. Castor sugar would be best... but I didn't have any so, granulated it is. The sugar will sweeten, (obviously), and add a little depth to the cherry flavour. The amount of sugar you add depends on your personal taste. I've gone for two tablespoons because I intend to mix the final product with cola, which is already very sweet. If you wanted to drink it neat I'd suggest adding more.

You can always add more sugar at a later date but remember, if you tip aload of sugar in and it becomes too sweet, you can't take the sugar away, so always add a little, then taste.

Yum Yum. Lookin' good.

Now here's a technical bit...

You tip all the vodka over the cherries.

Then give it a good stir to get the flavours moving...

Seal it up, then put it in a cool, dark place, (my kitchen cupboard). At least once a day I'll give it a shake to get the flavours going.

and that's where it'll stay for at least a week. Then I'll give it a tasting to determine whether or not the flavour has infused enough, or if it needs a little more sugar.

Watch this space...

just what a i feel like after a hot 38 degree day cherry flavoured vodka with coke

Shambo - you kill me man Bum-shaped cherry

Lookin' good though.

One day I might just try one of these recipes.

A few years ago I made some great sloe gin. Left it 6 months before drinking it; very smooth, needs lots of sugar though.
Hmmm, Tesco's have blueberries 1/2 price; now, where's that Kilner jar? BTW, it's good to freeze your fruit before use, it makes the skins split & allows the spirit to penetrate.

Don't want to veer OT (too much) but.... can you still buy Kilner Jars. Remember my Mum preserving fruit etc in them. Haven't seen them for years.

Yes, Mike; they're still available. Might take a bit of tracking down, but I have a local stockist.

Shambo - I think that seeing as you live so close, you should let me be a Quality Control Officer

jaci are you sure your not an alcholic as your showin very early signs to be one

Very rare I drink mate, but I do love Vodka - not cheap $hite though!

Kilner Jars
or my preference,
Le Parfait Jars
are the business, (yes I am a bit sad like that). Every kitchen needs 'em.


An excellent suggestion, especially for smaller berries. The water in the fruit expands when slowly frozen and literally tears the fibres of the fruit apart.

Thanks Chris & Shambo for Kilner Jar info.

Do you think Skittles would work Shambo? I rather fancy tasting the rainbow with my vodka!

Absolutely. I've never tried it but I'm led to believe they work a treat.
One thing though is to remove all the green skittles as they'll turn your vodka an unpleasant brown colour.

So here we are, one week later and time to finish the job...

It's all pretty straightforwards, you have to drain the vodka from the fruit. I used a sieve with quite a fine mesh. If you don't have one, a paper coffee filter in a coulander would do an even better job.

Be gentle and try not to spill any, (like I just did).

Then decant the cherry vodka back into it's original bottle. You can see the liqueur has increased in mass and now fills the bottle all the way to the brim.

So there we have the finished product. Although you can't tell from the photo's the liqueur seems clear of any debris and has a lovely cherry glow. If it was muddy in any way, I would have passed it through a coffee filter.

and what does it taste like?

Well very nice...

You can always improve upon your first attempt so for next time, I think I'd use more cherries, (about another half as many again), and one more tablespoon of sugar.

I remember reading the toffee Vodka and that you used a little warm water to help the toffee disolve.

Did the suger disolve ok in this cherry mix without the aid of some warmth?

I've tried the Skittles Shambo - a fellow member and I have named it "SkitVod". It's taken a few days for them to dissolve completely. The only problem that was encountered was a slight froth from the outer shell but that was easily resolved by passing it through some muslin.

It's divine!!! All colours went in and it's gone a sort of dark rose colour - very pretty!

What have you started

No warmth this time, just a cool dark place for a week and one good stir per day.


Where did you buy the muslin cloth? I've been on the lookout for a roll and haven't seen it sold anywhere local.

It was a piece I've had for years honey, think I got it from Abacan (sp). I used to make my own clothes, curtains, other soft furnishings etc and it was surplus. Have you tried good old ebay?

Shambo I think i love you, well really i just love vodka [Absoult, you can drink straight its that nice!!]. I'm so trying these!!!

Haha i remember the mix me and emma made @ Andy's little party with vodka, cider, beer, juice and prob more hahaha in a cake lid that was split.