Fig or Date Liqueur Recipe

* 2 1/2 cups (1 pound) choped, pitted figs or dates
(or combine 1 cup each for a date-fig liqueur)
* 2 cups vodka
* 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar syrup

If the fruit you have is dried, you must first reconstitute it. Put a cup or so of water into a sauce pan. Boil water, add dried fruits. Cover, turn off heat and let fruits plump in hot water for about 5 minutes. Drain off water.

Cut fruit into smaller pieces with scissors or a sharp knife. Place cooled fruit in vodka for 2 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain and filter. Add sugar syrup to taste.

The fruits are naturally very sweet, so be very sparing with your syrup.

Fig Leaf Liqueur

Ingredients

625ml sugar
750ml water
12 fig leaves
750ml gin

Method

1. Combine the sugar and the water in a saucepan and heat over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Wash the fig leaves and add them to the sugar water and bring to the boil and boil for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the mixture from the heat and remove the fig leaves and allow the syrup to cool.
4. Add the gin and stir through.
5. Pour the liqueur into sterilised bottles and seal.

Store for a month before use.