Fragrant Spiced Ginger Liqueur with Orange
·Caramelize the sugar
Pour the sugar into a pot. Turn on the heat and warm it up until it starts to caramelize. Let it turn a lovely golden colour, stirring and keeping an eye on it so it doesn't burn. Don't crank the heat all the way up, or the sugar will scorch and turn bitter.
Careful, it spits!
Once it's a beautiful golden colour, carefully pour in the water. Take care not to burn yourself, as the sugar is extremely hot. And don't panic – when the cold water hits it, the caramel will seize up and harden.
Let the pieces dissolve
No need to worry though – just heat it over medium heat and gradually break up the caramel. The pieces will slowly dissolve into the water, creating a beautiful, fragrant syrup.
Add the spices and simmer
Once all the caramel has dissolved, add the spices to the syrup. Simmer for another ten minutes or so, until it releases its full aroma and gives the ginger liqueur that festive Christmas scent.
Pour in the slivovitz
Turn off the heat and add the oranges and lemons to the pot, thoroughly washed and sliced. Peel and grate the ginger, then add it in too. Finally, pour in the slivovitz and stir well.
Leave to cool and infuse
Put the fragrant mixture somewhere cool, in the fridge or in a pantry. The liqueur will be ready in a week, but leaving it for 14 days won't hurt at all – it'll only get better. After that time, strain the contents of the pot and pour into bottles. Choose nice bottles that will show off the liqueur well.
