as most of you know, I am a huge fan of Jimmie and his berries (no need innuendo in here). And today marks Berry Fresh’s 1st birthday and to celebrate I have been experimenting with something VERY special - and here it is… Raspberry created in Limoncello style by using, yes you guessed it - Berry Fresh freeze dried berries!!!
Omg, is your mind blown? Because I thought I was an absolute twit the night I thought up the idea and decided to give it a crack. I messaged Jimmie, saying “I think I have finally lost the plot… I am trying to make Limoncello from your raspberries…” Thinking he would laugh but I got the opposite response “Moni, that is awesome!! Let me know how it goes!’ So I felt a small sense of hope.
Now, the irony of the timing and the conversation was…. I placed the berries to marinate exactly 10 days prior to… and you guessed it, the official 12 month anniversary and as you will read below, I soak my fruit for my cello’s for 10 days… meant to be or what?!?!
Anyways… Monica stop typing and get on with it, without further ado…. I can say… not only that it worked, that it was delicious but also what a flipping genius move on my part! My witchy senses must be on high alert!
Recipe
300ml of pure spirit - not always easy to get, but in a pinch a good quality plain Vodka will do the trick
1 cup of Berry Fresh Raspberry Crumble
Optional Extra - skin of 1/4 of an organic lemon - gives it an extra zing….
For straight up Cello:
500 mls of water
300 grams of sugar
For Cream Cello:
300 mls of fresh cream
300 mls of whole milk
Optional - Organic Vanilla Bean Paste - a squirt for both Cello and Crema.
Method
Dead set easy, place the freeze dried berries and the booze in an air tight container and place in a cool dark spot for 10 days.
Once in a while, give the container a bit of move around to move up the contents a bit.
Leave your concoction to do it’s magic for 10 days - try to avoid opening the container as precious alcohol escapes every time you do…
At the end of 10 days place the ingredients of the straight up Cello OR the Crema into a saucepan and bring to the boil - add in the optional extra of a squirt of Organic Vanilla Bean paste of a split vanilla bean pod - once it’s all come to the boil, leave to COMPLETELY cool - don’t be impatient and try to make the Cello while the syrups are hot or warm - you kill off all your precious alcohol!!!
Next up, grab a suitable bottle to house your final product in. Ensure it seals properly (yes you will loose precious boozy alcohol if it doesn’t seal properly)
Strain off your container of marinating berries in a larger bowl then required.
Now the next bit comes down to taste - add in as much of the sugar syrup or crema syrup until it tastes the way you like it - we are all different and while I can give you my quantities, not everyone likes it as strong as I do and prefer more syrup.
Pour, stir, taste - add more syrup until it;s where you like it.
Poor in syrup of your making, be it straight up sugar syrup for a regular Cello or the Crema for a Raspberri-Crema.
Stir gently and then using a funnel, pour into it’s final storage container.
Store in the fridge for up to a month - but best stored in the freezer for up to 3 months
Best served in shot glasses after an awesome meal - drink cold.. so good.
Handy tip - don’t throw away the strained off berries, place them back into a container and top up with simple sugar syrup and store in the fridge - it makes for an amazing sugar syrup for cakes next time you are baking! Thank you later!
Happy 1st Birthday Berry Fresh from us!
