Damson Gin
This year, the fruit harvest is producing as much tipple as Jams and Jellies! After this delicious Spiced Pear Liqueur, and a batch of Cider currently fementing, the glut of plums I picked on our tree allowed me to make this gorgeous Damson Gin. A delightful Autumnal night cap. Happy Wednesday!
Ingredients (makes about 500 millilitres/2 cups):
a dozen plump, ripe Damson plums
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons caster sugar
500 millilitres/2 cups London Dry Gin
Thouroughly rinse Damson plums. Then, halve and pit them.
Place plum halves into a large sterelised jar. Sprinkle caster sugar over them. Top with London Dry Gin and close jar tightly. Shake the jar energetically.
Place the jar on a shelf in a draught-free place and not in direct sunshine, although not away from it either.
Shake the jar every day for a week, until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Then, keep it in a darker, cooler spot, and allow to infuse, a couple of months.
After two months, the liqueur will have taken this gorgeous garnet hue.
Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve fitted with coffee filters, and pour Damson Gin in a sterelised bottle, closing tightly.
You can return the plums to a a sterelised jar with sugar and Gin to make another bottle --although you will need to wait a bit longer at least three to four months for them to infuse as well.
Keep Damson Gin in you liqueur cabinet and serve after dinner, use it in desserts or offer as a gift to friends.
