Crème de Cassis French Liqueur (Printer version)

Craft a traditional French blackcurrant liqueur ideal for cocktails and desserts. This sweet, fruity creation elevates any drink or sweet treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Blackcurrants

01 - 1.1 lbs fresh blackcurrants, cleaned and stems removed

→ Sugar

02 - 2.2 cups granulated sugar

→ Alcohol

03 - 24 fl oz vodka or neutral spirit, 40% ABV minimum

→ Optional

04 - 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

# Directions:

01 - In a large sterilized glass jar, combine blackcurrants and sugar. Gently crush berries with a potato masher or wooden spoon to release their juices.
02 - Add vodka and split vanilla bean if using. Stir well and seal jar tightly.
03 - Store in cool, dark place and shake or stir jar daily for 7 days to dissolve sugar and infuse flavors.
04 - After 7 days, strain mixture through fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into clean bowl, pressing solids to extract maximum liquid.
05 - Filter again if clearer liqueur is desired, then pour into sterilized bottles and seal.
06 - Store in cool, dark place. Liqueur is ready immediately but improves with age.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You end up with a sophisticated liqueur that costs a fraction of what you'd pay for the real thing, and tastes even better because you made it.
  • There's something deeply satisfying about watching sugar and berries transform into liquid silk over just one week.
  • This opens doors to cocktails, desserts, and drizzles that suddenly feel more elegant than they should.
02 -
  • Sterilization is not optional, one tiny particle of bacteria or mold will ruin your entire batch, so run those jars and bottles through a hot dishwasher or boil them without question.
  • The sugar won't fully dissolve right away and that's normal, but if you skip those daily shakes the bottom will harden and you'll end up with a grainy mess instead of silk.
  • Blackcurrants really do matter here, you can't replicate their specific tartness and complexity with blackberries or blueberries no matter how tempting the substitution seems.
03 -
  • Vanilla bean is worth it because it adds a sophistication that makes people wonder if you're secretly a professional mixologist.
  • If you want it sweeter, add another 50 to 100 grams of sugar, but start with the recipe as written so you understand the balance before you adjust.
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