Peel large strips of zest from the oranges with a vegetable peeler. Divide the orange zest between two sterilised jars or wide necked bottles.
Add sugar, rum and wine - again, dividing it equally. I use two 500ml Kilner jars. Seal the jars and give them a good shake. Store in a cool, dark place for six weeks before decanting the liqueur through a sieve into sterilised decorative bottles; discard the orange peel, or use it in poached or stewed fruits.
I sometimes dry the orange peel in a cool oven overnight and add it to sugar to be used for cakes and pies, or add it to stews and daubes etc.
Whilst the liqueur is maturing, give the jars/bottles a good shake once or twice a week.
This vibrant orange liqueur is wonderful served over ice, ice cream, with soda water or lemonade or when splashed into or onto festive fare. It looks stunning when decanted into pretty bottles with all the decorative trimmings like bows, tags, labels, dried flowers etc.
INGREDIENTS
600ml dark rum
1 bottle dry white wine
300g (100ozs) golden caster sugar
8 oranges, unwaxed
Home-made
Orange Liqueur
By Karen Burns-Booth