Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Occasionally I catch Annabel Langbein ("The Free Range Cook") on Create TV. Haven't made any of her recipes but love her accent. Anyway, last night's episode included her making a coffee liqueur that I'd like to try the next time I have dinner guests. But the recipe is nowhere online. I typed it up based on the video, but she didn't mention storage or shelf life. So if any of you food science whizzes have an idea about if it needs to be kept in the fridge and how long it would probably last, I'd love your 2 cents. Ingredients are below!

Emilie

Put in pan:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups water
1 vanilla bean
6 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
Stir to dissolve sugar and let simmer for 5 minutes

Turn off heat and add a cup of finely ground coffee and 2 cups vodka. Let stand for 5 minutes, then strain grounds and spices.

Add to coffee and serve with whipped cream and sprinkle of cinnamon.

Well, if you're starting with 80-proof vodka, the resulting liquer should still be around 15-20% alcohol. That's shelf stable.

I assume you are concerned about/for fermentation of the sugars. At 20% alcohol this is not ever going to be a concern in the freezer or refrigerator; it will keep for years. (Yes, I have done this.) At room temperature, there won't be fermentation either but you might experience some off-putting odors from oxidation of the sugars, over a few months, and I doubt even this will occur. Wino recommends that drinking 'the damn stuff' is the 'best practices' procedure.

Hey thanks guys!

Emilie