Hazelnut Liqueur - Frangelico

Total Time: 840 hrs 5 mins Preparation Time: 840 hrs Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb hazelnuts, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups vodka
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 in a glass bottle or jar, steep the chopped hazelnuts in the vodka for about 2 weeks in a cool, dark place, gently shaking the bottle every day.
• 2 gently pour the jar's contents through a regular strainer or sieve, pressing hard on the nuts to release all of their flavor.
• 3 follow this by two strainings through slightly dampened cheesecloth.
• 4 for true clarity and professional looking results, pour the strained mixture through a large clean coffee filter placed inside a funnel or clean coffee cone; loosely cover with plastic wrap since the process may take several hours.
• 5 in a very small saucepan, combine the sugar and water.
• 6 bring to a boil over moderately high heat.
• 7 simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.
• 8 let cool to room temperature.
• 9 stir in the vanilla.
• 10 funnel the strained hazelnut mixture into a clean, sterilized, glass bottle and then funnel in the sugar syrup.
• 11 cover tightly; shake to blend.
• 12 let mature, at room temperature or slightly cooler, for at least three weeks.