Easy and Awesome! Homemade extracts are an excellent way to add a splash of flavour to recipes both savoury and sweet.
They are also another wonderful way to preserve the flavours of each season and stock your home grown pantry shelves.
There are a myriad of flavour possibilities when it comes to extracts. With so many options, your creativity can begin in the spring with lilacs and run all the way to late autumn with the arrival of rose hips. With very little effort (or cost) you'll soon have an impressive collection of gourmet extracts at your disposal.
Locally grown ingredients
There are many ingredients that you can use to make an extract. My favourites of course are those grown right here on the homestead. Here are some ideas for you, some traditional and others a bit more whimsical - all of them useful!
- Traditional: vanilla, lemon, orange, mint, anise, coconut, chocolate, ginger
- Floral: lilac, jasmine, hibiscus, rose petal, rose hip, crab apple blossom
- Savoy: rosemary, sage, oregano, basil
The trick to making a really great extract is to use a good quality vodka and let your infusions steep for two months.
Gift Giving
If you enjoy making gifts rather than purchasing them extracts are a wonderful option. If you are organized you can make enough varieties throughout the season to prepare lovely gift packages for the foodies in your life. Just pick up some cute little bottles, make nice labels and you are set!
Homemade Extract Recipe
Supplies
- Mason jars
- Plastic lids or parchment paper to go under the regular metal lids. I use parchment cupcake papers.
- Storage bottles (preferably dark amber)
- Good quality 80 proof - 40% alcohol
- Flavouring material
Directions
- There is no hard rule on the amount of material you use. The more you use, the stronger the extract. Here's what we use with ours. This recipe is very simple to scale up and down.
- Citrus zest & peel - 2-3 medium lemons/oranges
- Vanilla beans - 6-8 beans, sliced open
- Dried or fresh leaves and herbs or petals - roughly chopped - fill jar 3/4 full
- Ginger peeled and chopped - fill jar 1/4 full
- Cacao nibs – raw or roasted - fill jar 1/3 full
Top up the jar with vodka and secure with a lid. Give it a gentle shake.
Keep in a cool dark place for two months. Be sure to give the jars a gentle shake now and again.
When the extracts are ready, strain and re-bottle into sterilized dark bottles for long term storage. Label and date your bottles. If using clear glass be sure to store your jars in a dark cupboard.
Other ideas You might like
Using ingredients found around the homestead truly ignites my creative spirit in the kitchen. I am quite passionate about sharing this journey and there's more to come so please join me by following along!
If you enjoyed this post you might also like:
Rose Petal Simple Syrup (Recipe)
Six Ornamental Spring Plants & Flowers That You Can Eat! (Plus Recipes)
Beautiful & Simple Spring Lilac Recipes!
Spring Flower Jelly Recipe
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