Maggie's Lethal Kumquat Liqueur

Total Time: 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 24
• 15 -30 kumquats, pricked
• 2 1/4 cups sugar (scant measure)
• 700 ml brandy
• 100 -200 g dark chocolate, melted

Recipe

• 1 put the pricked kumquats, sugar and brandy in a jar that can be tightly sealed (should hold at least a litre). store jar away from sunlight.
• 2 every day for the next 14 days, turn the jar over and back to distribute the sugar. you don't need to shake the jar.
• 3 after the 14 days are up, keep turning the jar over and back at least once a week until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• 4 when the sugar has dissolved, use tongs or a slotted spoon to gently remove the kumquats. leave the liqueur to age in the jar.
• 5 dip these boozy kumquats in melted chocolate for a delicious treat with after-dinner coffee. store in the freezer.
• 6 six months later, the liqueur is ready to be bottled and enjoyed. maggie saves interesting-looking smaller bottles to use for gifts.
• 7 note: you can bottle the liqueur at three months (to give as a gift), but tell the recipient it is worth waiting the extra three months before tasting. the well-aged liqueur is thicker, sweeter and more syrupy.