DIY Gingerbread Cream Liqueur For Cocktails
Gingerbread is a Christmas staple, loved as much for its warm spiced flavour as for its whimsical applications in gingerbread men or gingerbread houses. As children, nothing quite equals the magical experience of seeing exquisite, completely edible creations, but as adults, the subtle flavour and nostalgic bite of the biscuits themselves are just as much a part of the magic. Unfortunately, gingerbread can be a long process to bake, but if you want to have that beloved flavour on hand all season, help is on the way, in the form of this boozy delicious, gingerbread cream liqueur.
What Is A Liqueur
The term 'liqueur' finds its roots in the Latin word 'liquifacere,' which translates to 'to dissolve or melt.' This connection is quite fitting, considering that liqueurs are crafted using liquor or spirits as their foundation. These spirits are then sweetened and infused with various ingredients such as herbs, oils, sugars, syrups, nuts, chocolate, cream, or coffee.
There are many different types of liqueurs to enjoy ranging from herbal ones to more dessert-adjacent treats like Bailey’s Irish Cream which is creamy with notes of chocolate and vanilla. But liqueurs can be made to replicate almost any flavour under the sun, even the delightful taste of gingerbread.
Gingerbread Cream Liqueur
A wonderful liqueur to make around the holidays that celebrates the flavours of the season is a simple Gingerbread Cream Liqueur. This liqueur is crafted with dark rum infused with a generous amount of ginger, sweetened with brown sugar, and elevated to indulgent heights by a final blend with a touch of cream. This recipe calls for a dark rum like Captain Morgan which already has a delightful blend of warm notes from spices and vanilla that all add up to a deliciously warming liqueur. The outcome is a delightful concoction – sweet, spicy, warming, and creamy and all easy enough to brew up in your own kitchen.
How To Make Gingerbread Cream Liqueur
Ingredients
- 500 ml Captain Morgan Dark Rum
- 20 gms fresh ginger, roughly chopped
- 30 gms ginger
- 100 gms brown sugar
- 10 cloves
- 4-inch stick cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Gingerbread Cream Liqueur
- 125 ml/ ½ cup ginger-infused rum
- 125 ml double (heavy) cream
- 60 ml condensed milk (sweetened)
Instructions
- Making the Ginger Infused Rum:
- Roughly chop the fresh and crystallised ginger. Give the cinnamon and cloves a quick bash with the end of a rolling pin to break them up a little.
- Tip the spices into a sealable large jar that can hold 750 ml/ 3 cups of liquid. A screw-top jar is ideal.
- Add the vanilla extract and sugar, then pour the rum into the jar.
- Tighten the lid and swirl the jar a few times.
- Leave in a cool, dark place for 5 days, giving the jar a quick swirl for the first few days to encourage the sugar to dissolve.
- Strain through a piece of muslin/ cheesecloth and store in a sealed jar until you're ready to make the cream liqueur.
Making the Cream Liqueur
-
Pour the ginger-infused rum, cream, and condensed milk into a clean jug and stir until blended.
- Pour the mixture into a bottle, seal it, and store it in the fridge for up to a month until required.
- Give the bottle a gentle shake before serving in small glasses, either chilled or over ice.
Bottled up the taste of Christmas in this delicious liqueur which can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or even as a part of a tasty dessert cocktail.
