I have been inspired by my friend, Faith, to make fruit liqueur. Peaches, apricots and plums are in season right now. I was pleasantly surprised with the ease of it all. The recipe is simple, however it takes months before you can enjoy it.

“I can't make my own liquor!” is what you're thinking. I assure you it is a breeze and legal to boot. If you can slice an apple. You can make your own schnapps. 

Right now you'll need:

• 1 glass jar with a tight seal or clean plastic bottle with a screw cap
• 3 cups unflavored vodka
• 1 pound fresh or frozen fruit

Today I am using peaches. There are 1-2 medium freestone peaches to pound. for the maceration (liquor and. flavor marrying) process I am recycling a 1.75 liter vodka bottle I recently finished.

Slice into the flesh around the pit twice.

Drop peaches into a pot of slowly boiling water for about 30 second to 1 minute, when you can see the skin begin to come loose.

Remove the skin and section the fruit.

Slide fruit into bottle and store for at one to two months. Shake the bottle weekly.

Taste after four weeks. Strain fruit when it is to your flavor preference. Pour into food grade glass bottles for gifts. Bottles can be found at brewery or wine supply stores.

You can turn this into a liqueur by adding simple sugar syrup (1:1 sugar dissolved into boiling ater) after four weeks of maceration. Strain out fruit, add sugar syrup and store for another month.

Enjoy! 

Basic Instructions found at Danish Schnapps Recipe

All photos courtesy Mamikaze Recipes and property of Astacia Carter.