Seville Orange Brandy

[shirley]

Buy 2 or 3 seville oranges, or keep back some from marmalade making
Slice fruit thickly, and put into one large jar [well-cleaned] with 10 coriander seeds and a piece of cinnamon stick (spices optional), add 4 - 8oz white sugar, depending on your taste, and a bottle of brandy.
Leave to mature for 3 months, shaking daily for the first week, then weekly until all the sugar is dissolved.
Strain, first through a sieve, then through a jelly bag, or coffee filter paper. [you can use cooked fruit. it will give a much cloudier-looking result, but still tastes fine. ]
Return to original bottle plus a small one....cooks perks

[madderbat]

Sounds a good one shirley. OH wants to do a rumpot this year (if we get enough soft fruit), but this sounds good for going on with.

[wellie]

Shirley, EXCELLENT ! I've got some Sevilles in the Freezer. Or maybe that wouldn't work with the brandy given that there'd be lots of extra water/liqiuid on defrosting..... What's your thoughts on this? or anyone else.....

[Hazel at the Hill]

Shirley, EXCELLENT ! I've got some Sevilles in the Freezer. Or maybe that wouldn't work with the brandy given that there'd be lots of extra water/liqiuid on defrosting..... What's your thoughts on this? or anyone else.....

Absolutely no idea on this one - but this really has to be worth a go - logic tells me that if you're worried about watering down your brew, then strain the defrosted oranges before adding to the brandy!

[wellie]

No, you're dead right Hazel. Think Dog Sitting this weekend has sent me a little bit 'barking'.... My brain had definitely gone for a 'walkies' .....
Back to normal tomorrow ! and I look forward to trying the recipe out.

[Hazel at the Hill]

...and I look forward to trying the recipe out.

yep - and me, especially if there's an extra tipple in there...! LOL!

[shirley]

I hope it works well. Do let us know. Enjoy

[Brewer-again]

orange juice

Hi hazel and wellie,
The fluid from defrosted fruit is fruit juice, assuming that they were bagged. if they were loaded in loose then they may have a frosting on them which is just water and will be of no use. When things are frozen some of the cells rupture and when it is thawed you get liquid juice, use the liquid. Or if you are still unsure put the fruit in a seive to defrost and taste the liquid which comes off (the drip ) if it does not taste strong then pour it away.
Shame about the brandy use a cheap one.

[wellie]

Thanks for that Brewer-again. Ever find that your commonsense just goes out the window?! They are 'bagged' and so feel confident that when I get a spare minute between going to sleep at night and waking up in the morning, that I should make some..... Methinks when 'himself' is snoring is a good time to creep to the garage and get the ball rolling!

[Brewer-again]

fruit juice

I am trying to get this image of you creeping out of the bedroom in your wellies to a safe area of my brain!!! .
Still think you should enjoy the brandy as made. Then make a brew with the sevilles which will be around 14% and ready at the same time as an 'oranges soaked in brandy' recipe. You can still add the spices to the brew and it should taste really nice.

[wellie]

You have a 'Safe Area' of your brain? You lucky person you!

[Brewer-again]

safe area

I just thought that the idea of you in only wellies was best left to your other half. Hopefully every one has a part of thier memory where they can put away stuff they have seen or experienced and do not wish to recall. You cannot erase it so file it.
But back to brewing