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DIY Blood Orange Liqueur

Called Arancello in Sicily, native home of the blood orange, this liqueur is easy to make and captures the delightful fragrance and color of the fruit nicely. Before you begin, it’s important to know that it’s a two-step process that should be separated by at least 48 hours. Your patience will be rewarded with a delicious liqueur you can drink alone, over ice, or with sparkling water.
Course Drinks
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups full grain alcohol vodka, grappa or everclear
  • 5 large blood oranges
  • 1 whole clove
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions
 

Step One

  • To remove any wax from the rind, place the oranges in a clean sink, and pour over with boiling water. Let it sit for a couple of minutes, and then scrub with a vegetable brush. Rinse under cold water.
  • Using a very sharp knife, cut away the zest of the oranges in strips, taking care to leave as much of the white pith behind as you can.
  • Place the strips of blood orange zest in a clean mason jar, and pour the alcohol over it. Make sure the peels are completely submerged. Cover the jar and place in a warm, dark place for a minimum of 48 hours, and up to two weeks. The longer you leave it, the more flavor it will extract.
  • Juice the blood oranges, and then freeze the juice until the alcohol infusion is ready.
  • Add the clove to the alcohol mix on the very last day before you are ready to make the liqueur.

Step Two

  • Strain the peel and clove out of the alcohol.
  • Defrost the juice, and add it to a saucepan along with the sugar and water.
  • Heat at a medium-high setting, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved.
  • Bring to a boil, and allow it to cook without stirring for about 3 minutes. The mixture should begin to thicken. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.
  • Pour the alcohol mix into a clean bottle and add the cooled blood orange syrup. Stir or shake to blend.
  • Enjoy.
Keyword Moro blood orange
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