Featured Recipe
Peach-Orange Schnapps
By Kate
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Infused schnapps with a peach-orange blend. Uses reduced sugar, fresh peaches, and swaps lemon juice for lime. Vodka base macerated with fruits after brief simmer. Yields 1 1/4 liters, chill long for mellow flavor. Citrus zest twist added for aroma. Strained carefully, ideal neat or mixed. Ingredients carefully balanced to avoid overpowering sweetness or harsh alcohol burn. Simple infusion technique ensures clean extraction without bitterness. Notes on substitutions and timing adjustments included for kitchen flexibility.
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Prep:
12 min
Cook:
15 min
Total:
Serves:
5 servings
infusions
vodka cocktails
homemade liquor
Introduction
Peach schnapps isn’t about slapping sweet syrup and screening fruit chunks. It’s about coaxing the right balance between fresh fruit character and clean alcohol burn. The moment sugar starts boiling sheer bubbles and aroma rides your nostrils—that’s your cue the base syrup’s done. Not too hot, not caramelizing. Then the tender fruit bathes in syrup longer enough to release essence and texture but stops short of breakdown. Orange zest slips in for complexity; don’t skip it. The vodka acts as solvent and preservative—quality matters here. Quick chill, slow infusion with regular gentle shakes avoid bitterness and cloudy haze. Patience delivers clarity and flavor punch, proof every second spent waiting counts.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Water quality shapes final flavor—filtered or spring. Brown sugar can replace white for depth but adjust amounts to balance extra molasses notes. Lime juice swaps lemon to add brightness with less sharpness; fresh juice only, no bottled tang. Peaches—ripe and firm; spot softening or bruises ruin infusion clarity. Yellow vs white peaches offer sweeter vs floral notes respectively—blend for rounded profile. Orange zest must be peeled carefully to avoid bitter white pith—use a microplane or sharp peeler. Vodka quality affects smoothness; avoid harsh or flavored brands that mask fruit. Use gloves when handling zest oils to avoid skin irritation and unwanted odors lingering. Clean glass containers essential to prevent off-flavors during long chill.
Method
Technique Tips
Simmer syrup until sugar dissolves fully and syrup coats spoon legibly—too hard or short changes mouthfeel and extraction. Stir fruit intermittently to expose all sides but avoid breaking them up; chunk integrity matters for filtration clarity. Cool syrup-work to roughly body temperature; hot mixes shock vodka, produce volatile aromas lost. Seal container tightly to prevent oxidation and off-flavors on weeks long chill. Daily shaking ensures even diffusion and limits sediment settling. Straining twice if pulp remains thick. Coffee filters remove fine particulates but slow—time patience there. Bottle in sterilized glass to maintain shelf life. Keep cold, taste before use to check balance; add small water splash if too intense. Common mistake: rushing infusion time or boiling fruit into mush—kills fresh note and clarity.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use fresh fruits; quality matters. Bruised peaches ruin clarity. Lime adds brightness, but use real juice. No bottled stuff. Watch simmer—too much heat damages fruit.
- 💡 Strain carefully; cheesecloth helps catch pulp. Avoid pushing down too hard—cloudiness from bits ruins visual appeal. Daily shaking during infusion fights settling.
- 💡 Citrus zest peel meticulously—stick to the skin. Too much pith brings bitterness. Clean tools essential to avoid bad flavors. Infusion containers must be spotless.
- 💡 Infuse 5-6 days; changes flavor intensity. Shorter means light notes, longer can pull bitterness. Patience counts big here. Use a taste test as your guide.
- 💡 Storage? Keep cold; it lasts weeks. Seal tightly. Bottles must be clean—no off-flavors allowed. Tasty, but don't rush flavors; let them develop.
