Creme Egg Flip

Deco Chrysanthemum Coupe by Toasted Glass

Generally, I don't go in for creamy cocktails and my waistline is pretty thankful for that, but hey, it's the Easter holidays and why should the kids have all the chocolately, calorific fun...

Religion aside, Easter is all about eggs and chocolate , so this cocktail is about as 'Easter' as it gets. It's made with Creme Egg Vodka (get the recipe here) and contains an actual egg, so I think I've got my Easter credentials covered. Obviously, there will be those who don't wish to consume raw eggs and I'm certainly not going to try and persuade you, but you can read the NHS guidelines and make up your own mind.

Cocktails that contain whole egg (both yolk and white) belong to a group, known as 'Flips' and date back as far as the 1600s. They went out of fashion, largely due to the possible health risks of consuming raw eggs, but when used, whole egg in cocktails, results in a velvety smooth and creamy texture that tastes incredibly decadent.

Creme Egg Flip

2oz Creme Egg Vodka
1/2oz Vanilla Galliano
1/4oz Triple Sec
3/4oz single cream
1oz freshly squeezed orange
1 egg

Begin by beating the egg and then add all of the ingredients to a shaker and dry shake , i.e. without ice, for about 30 secs. Be aware that shaking with egg can cause a build up of gas in the shaker and can pop the lid!

Add a handful of ice and shake again for another 20 secs, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Creme Egg Vodka

Deco Apothecary Bottle 100ml by Toasted Glass

There are no end of exotic liqueurs and spirits, just waiting to be bought, but sometimes it's fun and tasty to have a go at making your own. With a bottle of vodka and some confectionery, you can create some nostalgic flavours that hark back to childhood and with the addition of strong liquor, might just give you something akin to the thrill of your 8 year old brain, confronted with a Creme Egg.

As I have got older, the frisson of excitement that a Creme Egg could produce, has sadly, wained, although it wasn't so many years ago that I had a daily habit. However, I've been clean for several years now and to be honest, I actually find them a bit sickly. Still, when presented with a box of Creme Eggs by the marketing department at Cadbury, to enter their Eggs Factor competition (I didn't win, not even a mention!), I wondered what to do with left over eggs. My children very kindly scoffed most of them, but I was left with one, which I decided to turn into Creme Egg Vodka.

To avoid creating a horrible, gloopy mess that would be too sickly sweet, I used 1 Creme Egg for 200ml of vodka - enough to make it sweet and chocolatey with a slight viscosity, but still fairly runny.

Ingredients

1 Creme Egg
200ml vodka

Method

Begin by gently melting the Creme Egg on a low heat in the microwave or in a bowl, over a pan of simmering water, on the hob.
When the Creme Egg has melted, pour on the vodka and stir to mix. At this point, there may be a few lumpy bits which should dissolve in a short while, but if you are very impatient, pour into a lidded receptacle and shake hard until they dissolve.
Store in the fridge if you would like to serve it as chilled shots.

When the vodka has sat for a while, you may find that there is a slight sediment at the bottom, but just give it a little shake before pouring and it will be perfect.

Just incase you are curious - this was my entry for the Cadbury's Eggs Factor... I was robbed! Perhaps I should have sent my vodka recipe instead.

League of Super Eggs Egg Cups

Shrove Tuesday

Deco Fan Coupe by Toasted Glass

This year, Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day has fallen just a few days after Valentine's, so before the roses have even lost their bloom, there's another opportunity for celebration. According to the Christian calendar, it's the feast that precedes a period of restraint (Lent), in the run up to Easter, but it's roots stretch back beyond the dawn of Christianity to pagan times. As a pagan festival, the round pancake was thought to represent the sun, signifying the coming of spring and as a Christian celebration, it was a way to use up rich foods, such as eggs, milk and sugar, before Lent when a simple, plain diet was expected (hair shirt optional).

Religious beliefs aside (live and let live, I say), there's not a great deal of restraint goes on our household, although, perhaps it does make sense to show a little moderation in the gap betwixt Pancake Day and Chocolate Egg Day lest one should find one's trousers have inexplicably begun to garrotte one's nether regions...

Each year, my delightful children insist that I make pancakes and each year, they eat one and then we are left with a lot of pancake mixture that lurks in the fridge for a while I try and fail to convince them that savoury pancakes for dinner are a good idea. As a result, I am left feeling somewhat ambivalent about the whole business of pancake making, but I think I may have the answer to my woes...the pancake inspired cocktail! When the little blighters pooh-pooh my culinary efforts, I shall simply mix one of these and tip the rest of the pancake mixture in the bin.

This cocktail is quite simply, amazing, if I do say so myself and has been achieved without the use of gin (very unusual for me). It does involve making toffee vodka, but that is so ridiculously quick and simple, it really shouldn't put you off - click here for the toffee vodka recipe.

As the name suggests, it is inspired by the French dessert, Crêpe Suzette, consisting of a thin pancake, topped with a sauce of caramelised sugar and butter and orange juice and finished with orange curaçao liqueur. It's a delicious combination and it's metamorphosis into cocktail form is no less of a gastronomic success.

Coupe Suzette

2oz toffee vodka
1/4oz triple sec
1 and 1/2oz freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
lemon and granulated white sugar to rim the glass

Begin by rimming the edge of a chilled cocktail glass with sugar - pour a little sugar onto a small plate and moisten the rim of the glass by gently passing the cut lemon over it - do not allow it to drip down the sides, if possible. Roll the moistened edge of the glass through the sugar on the plate and see how the crystals adhere.
Next, add the remaining ingredients to a shaker with a handful of ice and firmly attach the lid before shaking hard. Always keep on hand over the top whilst shaking to avoid any sudden spillages.
When the outside of the shaker develops a frosty bloom, strain the mixture carefully into the glass, avoiding any splashes on the rim that might dislodge the sugar crystals.

Toffee Vodka

Apothecary Bottle by Toasted Glass

A lot of flavoured vodkas require patience and effort to get the desired result, but this one is so ridiculously simple, there really is no need to buy it ready made. All you need is some vodka (it needn't be the most expensive bottle on the shelf) and some Werthers Original butter candies - I'm sure other brands are available, but I haven't heard of them and these are sold, pretty much everywhere.

Ingredients

35cl vodka
10 butter candy sweets

Method

Unwrap the sweets and place in a microwaveable bowl with just enough water to cover the candy.
Heat in the microwave on full power for about 4 minutes or until the sweets have fully melted - at this stage the mixture should have reduced in volume and be bubbling like molten lava.
Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave, bearing in mind that it may well be hot, so please protect your hands.
Ensure that the vodka is at room temperature - if you pour chilled vodka into the mixture, the candy will harden immediately.
Add the vodka to the toffee and stir to mix - you may find that a little of the toffee does harden and adhere to the spoon, but it should be a very minimal amount.
Once the mixture is fully dissolved, allow to cool and store in an airtight bottle or container where it should be good to drink for several weeks, if not longer.
If you are partial to drinking chilled, vodka shots then store in the fridge and give it a shake before serving as the mixture may separate over time.

Toffee vodka is an integral part of the Coupe Suzette cocktail that I created in celebration of Pancake Day - click here for recipe.

Blackberry Liqueur

Blackberry Liqueur - bottle by Toasted Glass

Crème de Mure, or Blackberry Liqueur, is a delicious cocktail ingredient, bursting with fresh berry flavour and essential for making that modern-day classic, gin cocktail, the Bramble. It is however, less ubiquitous than that other berry liqueur, Crème de Cassis, and tends to be found in more specialist liquor stores. As a result, Crème de Cassis is often used in substitution, which is rather like substituting a raspberry with a strawberry - both are tasty, but they are very different.

There are some great brands out there, including Cartron and Briottet, but if you like getting creative in the kitchen, why not try this simple recipe and make your own. You can use frozen blackberries, but do ensure that they are fully defrosted beforehand. Always try to use the best fruit that you can, to ensure the high quality of your liqueur - you get back what you put in. The lemon zest is optional, but it does help to enhance the flavour of the berries, although it is very important that all the white pith is removed as it becomes bitter when steeped in alcohol.

Aside from the listed ingredients below, you will need a large, clean, airtight jar, a sieve, a muslin cheesecloth or coffee filter paper.

Crème de Mure

2 cups blackberries
3cm strip of lemon zest (pith removed)
1 1/4 cup vodka
3/4 cup brandy
1/2 cup simple syrup (2 parts sugar to one part water)

To begin with, make the simple syrup by heating half a cup of water in a pan.
When the water begins to boil, add one cup of sugar and reduce heat to a simmer.
Stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is crystal clear.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Add the fruit and zest to sealable container such as a large, clean jar, along with the alcohol.
Muddle (squish) the fruit and alcohol, then replace the lid and shake.
Store at room temperature but out of direct sunlight, for a minimum of 3 days.

Strain the contents of the jar through a fine mesh strainer, pressing down with the back of a spoon to extract all the juice.
Filter the remaining liquid through a muslin cheesecloth or coffee filter paper.
Repeat the filtering process again and then add half a cup of simple syrup and stir.

Pour the liqueur into an airtight jar or bottle and shake to combine.
Allow to rest for at least a day before using.

Store in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months.

Christmas Spirit - a recipe for success

Christmas Spirit Shot Glass Set by Toasted Glass

Picture the scene.....kitchen piled high with crockery, table covered in bits of Christmas dinner, spilled wine, soggy paper hats and cracker toys. Yes, it's Christmas Day, the meal is finished and you think you might just spontaneously combust if you eat another thing. This is traditionally when you would serve a digestif; an alcoholic drink that will aid the digestion  and settle the stomach in order that you can then attempt the Christmas Pud, the mince pies, the cheese and biscuits and the Elizabeth Shaw chocolates which mysteriously materialise during the festive period. Whilst it would make far more sense not to stuff oneself like a goose bound for fois gras, we all know we're going to do it and if a digestif will help (and even if it doesn't), it's worth a try.

This recipe is for a Christmas Liqueur that you can make at home, really simply and store indefinitely. It improves with age, but can be drunk immediately and is still very pleasant. It uses lots of traditionally festive flavours and creates a drink with a lot of the same flavour notes as a Drambuie, but with vodka, rather than whisky at it's heart. Not only can you serve it up after the Christmas meal, but it will make fabulous gifts for friends and family if you decant it into pretty bottles. 

Christmas Liqueur

Ingredients

600ml vodka

200g light muscovado sugar

Zest of 2 large oranges, peeled off inn strips

1 large cinnamon stick

2 star anise

2 cardamom pods

4 cloves

4 juniper berries

1 vanilla pod

300ml water

When peeling the zest from the oranges, ensure that you do not leave the white pith on. If some remains, scrape it off carefully with your knife.

Add the zest, spices and water to a pan and bring to the boil.

Turn the heat right down and place the lid on tight.

Allow to simmer at the lowest heat for about 45mins - check periodically to make sure the water doesn't boil away.

When the liquid has reduced by 2/3, remove from heat and strain the remaining fluid into a jug, gently pressing the remaining spices etc with the back of a spoon to ensure you extract the maximum amount of flavour.

Discard the solids and pour the liquid back into the pan, bring back to the boil very briefly and add the sugar. 

Stir until dissolved, remove from heat and allow to cool.

When sufficiently cooled, pour on the vodka and stir briskly until fully combined, then bottle and cork it until you're ready to use it.

Ideally, you should wait a week or two to really let the flavours blend, but a sneaky taste won't hurt...

Miniature bottle from a selection by Toasted Glass

Father's Day Cocktails

St Edward's Crown Glasses by Toasted Glass

For those of you, reading this, after the event, don't let the title put you off. This post's selection have been curated and created with Father's Day in mind and are perhaps a little less feminine than is my wont, but are in no way limited to the chaps. What I will say, is that they are not overly fruity or floral and even include a couple of drinks that can be knocked together without the aid of a cocktail shaker or any fancy shenanigans. Whether young or old, I'm sure you'll find something to impress dad, this June 16th and you might want to consider my Bespoke Cocktail Service, that takes into account, taste, personality and lifestyle to create a tailor made mix to perfectly suit the recipient. For further information, please click here.

This first cocktail is being hailed as a modern classic and deservedly so. It was created by Sam Ross; beardy Australian and celebrity bartender at Attaboy, the Uptown reinvention of New York's Milk and Honey bar. It's a whisky cocktail that cleverly uses two types of scotch, a blend for the main body of the drink and a small amount of a good smokey, single malt, floated on the top. As someone who doesn't really like whisky, I wasn't too sure about this, but the initial taste of a good single malt is fine and just as it gets to the point where I would normally gag (yes, I really struggle with whisky), the sweet ginger and lemon flavours come through. Of course, it does involve making Honey-Ginger Syrup, but that in itself is delicious and worth making a small pot of it to keep in the fridge. Click here for Honey-Ginger syrup recipe. The original recipe does specify using an Islay single malt to float on top. I have used Jura Superstition for it's spice and smoke and as the isle of Jura is a stone's throw from Islay, the whiskies produced from distilleries on both, share many of the same tasting notes. Laphroig, Laguvilin and Bowmore would all work well.

Penicillin Cocktail

Ingredients
2oz blended scotch (I used Grants)
1/4oz Islay single malt
3/4oz lemon juice
3/4oz honey-ginger syrup

Add all of the ingredients, bar the single malt, to a cocktail shaker, with ice
Shake vigorously and strain into an ice filled rocks glass
Pour the single malt over the back of a spoon, to float on the top of the drink

Bumble Bee rocks glasses by Toasted Glass

This next drink is simplicity itself to make and can be adapted to make any number of variations. It works well with whisky too and you can substitute lemon for lime. Use white rum and fresh lime and it's practically a mojito. The main thing is, it's a doddle to mix up and will appeal to those who don't like too much fuss. I used Blackwoods gin which already has slight mint undertones from the watermint in it's botanical mix.

Gin Smash

Ingredients

2oz Blackwoods gin
1/2 lemon, cut into quarters
3/4oz simple syrup
7 fresh mint leaves
Dash of Angostura bitters

Muddle (squish) the mint, lemon and simple syrup in the bottom of a large tumbler or highball glass using a muddling stick or similar implement
Half fill the glass with crushed ice, pour in the gin and bitters and stir carefully, ensuring that the alcohol mixes in well
Top up with more crushed ice  and stir again before drinking

Time For Drinks Tumblers by Toasted Glass

Followers of the blog will know that last week I made Vanilla Infused Vodka and deemed it such a success that I then went on to make a slightly larger batch. One of the things that really struck me about it was the earthiness that using natural vanilla brings - absolutely nothing like sweet vanilla flavouring and with a touch of the pipe tobacco about it. 'What could be more manly than pipe tobacco and single malt?', thought I and so the Old Timer was conceived. Otherwise, the cocktail is made just as you would make an Old Fashioned, using a little simple syrup, rather than a sugar cube, as the extra work is entirely unnecessary in my opinion. In an ideal world , you would serve the drink with one very large ice cube in the glass so as to keep it chilled, but not over diluted. The initial aroma is mellow and sweet from the vanilla and orange, but the lingering taste is the smoke of the single malt.

Old Timer

1oz vanilla vodka
1oz single malt whisky(I used Jura Superstition)
1/4oz simple syrup
Dash of Angostura bitters
Large strip of orange zest

Using a sharp knife, cut a long thin strip from the peel of an orange, leaving behind the pith and set to one side
Add the simple syrup to the glass, along with a dash of Angostura bitters
Add the spirits, stir and add ice - preferably a large cube or two
Squeeze the orange zest around the rim of the glass to release the oils. This creates an orange aroma without adding juice to the drink

Black Stag Rocks Glasses by Toasted Glass

The final cocktail today is loosely based on the El Diablo cocktail, a big favourite of mine and you can get the recipe by going to my Summer Spice cocktails post. What surprised me about the El Diablo, when I first tried it, was how well tequila and ginger work together and so, pairing tequila with King's Ginger, one of my favourite liqueurs, seemed an obvious move.

El Rey

Ingredients

1oz tequila resposado
3/4oz King's Ginger
1/4oz Creme de Cassis
1oz lime juice
Dash of Fever Tree Naturally Light Ginger Beer

Add all of the ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 20 secs
Strain into a tumbler with ice and top up with a dash of ginger beer.

St Edward's Crown Highballs by Toasted Glass

This drink also works rather well without the lime and prepared in much the same way as an Old Fashioned.

Old Fashioned El Rey

1oz tequila resposado
3/4oz King's Ginger
1/4oz Creme de Cassis
Dash of bitters
Strip of orange zest

Add all of the ingredients apart from the zest, to a tumbler/ rocks glass and stir well to combine
Add one or two large ice cubes
Squeeze the strip of zest to release the oils and wipe around the rim of the glass

St Edward's Crown Rocks Glasses by Toasted Glass

I gave myself the challenge of 'manning up' this week and I have to admit that I am rather enjoying it - so much so, that I have had to force myself to stop because we can't possibly drink any more cocktails. Still, watch this space as there are many more to come in the future. Have a fabulous weekend and test a few cocktails before you try them out on dad for Father's Day x

All of the glasses used and indeed, any in my Etsy shop, can be personalised to make a special gift for Father's Day.

Vanilla Vodka

Like all infusions, vanilla vodka is very straightforward to make and the result is worth waiting a few days for. Using vanilla pods gives an earthy undertone that is reminiscent of pipe tobacco and a hint of sweetness that makes the vodka very smooth to drink. In fact, it was so great, I decided to make some more so I could make more delicious Vanilla, Lavender Martinis. This recipe will make 6 x 1oz shots - if you wish to make more, just scale up the quantities, adding one vanilla pod for every 150 ml of vodka,

Vanilla Vodka

Ingredients

150 ml vodka
1 vanilla pod (whole)

Score the length of the vanilla pods with a sharp knife and open out slightly to reveal the seeds

Add the pods and vodka to a clean, airtight container and close the lid.

Leave for a minimum of five days, swirling the container gently, each day

The vodka will become progressively darker each day

After five days, or more, if you can wait, your vodka will be ready to strain

Pour the vodka through a coffee filter paper, into a jug and that's it. 

Now you can get mixing or enjoy it chilled and neat if you prefer.

Cherry Vodka

Black Lace Cocktail Glasses by Toasted Glass

If you follow me on twitter or facebook then you will know that this week I have been all about the Cherry Vodka. I am no stranger to making flavoured vodkas as I used to work in a cocktail bar, many years ago, where the in-house, flavoured vodkas were our speciality. Most were sugary sweet like the Loveheart Vodka I showed you how to make in an earlier post, but I was intrigued to try making a fruit infused vodka. I settled on cherry because I figured the colour would be pretty amazing and also because I had some in the freezer, left over from making Cherry Margaritas. As I said before, I think frozen cherries are just fine for cocktail making. They are frozen at the point of picking and retain all the colour and flavour. The only thing lacking, when they defrost, is a little of the firmness, but when you are squishing them up or steeping them for days in vodka, it doesn't really matter. I used Absolut Vodka because that was what I had and I would recommend that you use something of a similar or even higher quality. This is a fruit infusion and the flavour is quite subtle and not sweetened with sugar so the quality of the vodka will make a big difference to the end result. If you fancy giving it a go yourself, follow the simple steps below.

How to make Cherry Vodka

You will need 

300ml good quality vodka

100g frozen cherries

Pour out 300ml of vodka into a clean measuring jug. Obviously you can make more if you wish - just scale up the quantities accordingly.

Place the cherries in a sieve and run cold water over them to get rid of the ice glaze - if you don't, when the cherries defrost in the vodka, you'll actually be inadvertently adding water. Similarly, allow the cherries to drain before adding them to the vodka.

Transfer the cherries into an airtight container, cover with the vodka, close the lid and wait.....

And finally , on the fifth day, it was good to go.

As you can see, the colour got more intense with each passing day and depending on your patience, you could leave it even longer, although the cherries themselves, by this point, have lost their colour and flavour, so I'm not convinced it would produce any better a result.

The cherries had retained their shape and it would probably have been fine just to use a sieve, but incase the fruit should break up when you separate it from the vodka, I suggest using a coffee filter paper. They will come in handy, should you decide to try the Loveheart Vodka too.

Tip the contents of your airtight container into a measuring jug before filtering, to avoid messy spills.

Allow the cherries to drain for quite a while as they are holding a lot of vodka.

Store the left over cherries in an airtight container in the fridge. With so much vodka in them, it would be a shame to throw them away!

Pour your vodka into a clean bottle and label it clearly to avoid any mishaps (especially if you have children).

So now you have your Cherry Vodka, what can you make with it? Well, of course, you could just drink it schnapps style, but that's not for the fainthearted. There is a sweetness to the vodka and a fruitiness that makes it quite palatable, but it's no sweet liqueur and in my opinion, it is best suited to cocktail making., so here are a few ideas.

Cherry Sour

Ingredients

1 1/2oz Cherry Vodka

1oz Cherry Heering

2oz Vita Coco

1/2oz fresh lime juice

Vita Coco, if you haven't heard of it before, is natural coconut water with no added sugar. It has an almost imperceptible coconut flavour and a slight natural sweetness. It is very different to coconut milk or coconut creme, both of which are quite calorific and thicker in texture. Apparently it's very good for you - lots of electrolytes, which is a good thing, so the blurb says, but that's probably a moot point when it's in an alcoholic beverage. Still, every little helps I suppose.

This recipe also contains Cherry Heering which adds a stronger cherry flavour and some sweetness. You can read more about Cherry Heering and where to buy it, in my Alfresco Cocktails post.

Add all of the ingredients to a shaker and add a handful of crushed ice

Shake vigorously for 20 secs and strain into chilled cocktail glass

This cocktail has the whole sweet and sour thing going on, that I like so much, but it's fairly subtle, which is nice. It is refreshing and would work well as a long drink over ice, too.

Next up, a very fruity and delicious cocktail that tastes like summer in a glass. It's sweet but in a very natural tasting way and if your fruit tastes sweet enough, don't bother adding the 1/4oz simple syrup

Cherry Berry

Ingredients

2oz Cherry Vodka

3 strawberries

6 blueberries

1/4oz simple syrup (optional)

Place the fruit in the shaker and muddle (squish). If you don't have a muddler, I find the handle of an ice cream scoop or something similar, works quite well.

Add the Cherry Vodka and a handful of ice

Shake vigorously for 20 secs and strain into a chilled cocktail glass

NB - this cocktail is quite slow to strain through the holes in the shaker as berries become a little gloopy, but be patient, turn the shaker upright again and jiggle it a little before straining out the rest.

White Lace cocktail glasses by Toasted Glass

This next cocktail is aptly named Lolita. It has an almost bubble gum sweetness due to the apricot brandy that belies its alcoholic content and it is the most sensational colour.

Lolita

Ingredients

2oz Cherry Vodka

1oz apricot brandy

1/2oz lemon juice 

Add all of the ingredients to a shaker with a handful of crushed ice and shake vigorously for 20 secs

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Butterfly cocktail glasses by Toasted Glass

Our last cocktail today is a tropical inspired little number featuring a lovely rum I picked up in Amathus City a couple of weeks ago, which has an almost coconut flavour of it's own.The addition of fresh pineapple and coconut water, definitely give it that tropical feel and make me long for a more temperate climate. Still, whip up one of these, turn on the heating and samba round the living room - job done.

Carmen Miranda

Ingredients

1oz Cherry Vodka

1oz Flora de Cana rum (or similar quality)

Handful of fresh pineapple

2oz Vita Coco

1/2oz agave nectar (see Ay Caramba post for info on Agave nectar)

Muddle the pineapple in the bottom of the shaker

Add all of the other ingredients, plus a handful of crushed ice

Shake vigorously and strain into chilled cocktail glass

Cherry Cocktail Glasses available on Etsy

This is another cocktail that would be a lovely drink over ice in a highball glass and perhaps with a squeeze of lime too, but then I like a squeeze of lime on most things.

So there you have it - Cherry Vodka - worth the wait for the colour alone. It's so easy to do, I recommend you give it a whirl, even if it just so you can drink a pink V&T. Have fun making cocktails, drink responsibly and have a wonderful weekend X

Loveheart Vodka

Set of 6 Loveheart shot glasses by Toasted Glass

This week, I was transported back to my childhood as I painted these Loveheart shots. These were definitely one of my favourite sweets, not least because of their little love notes. Gaggles of girls would gather to squabble over, who got which message and which boy they might give it to. I was rarely brave enough to hand mine over and also, quite greedy, so it was never a path to true love for me, but I am still very fond of the sweets. Having painted the shot glasses, it seemed the logical conclusion, to show you how to make Loveheart Vodka. It is a little time consuming, but fairly simple and tastes just like the sweets. Don't be fooled by the innocuous flavour though - this vodka packs a full on punch and should be drunk with caution.

Firstly, you will need a bottle of vodka (it needn't cost the earth to be honest) and a packet of these...

Next, take a microwaveable bowl and put some Loveheart sweets in it. I used 14 to make 3 x 1oz shots of flavoured vodka, but you can scale up the volumes to your own preference. Just remember to use roughly 4-5 sweets per 40ml of vodka.

Now, pour on just enough boiling water to cover the sweets. As you will see, they start to fizz a little. 

Put the bowl in to the microwave and heat on full power for about two minutes. what you are trying to do, is reduce the sweets to a syrup, so they will blend with the vodka. Remove the bowl carefully as it will get very hot. Stir the mixture, but do not touch it - this stuff is like molten lava and will seriously burn you. 

Now, pour room temperature vodka on to the mixture and stir. Generally, what will happen, is that the sweet syrup will become rock solid, like hard candy, but don't worry - this is fine. Leave the mixture to dissolve in the vodka. For a small amount like this, it should only take 30 mins and you can hurry it along by stirring it every now and then.

Don't panic! It does look vile, but we are going to pass it through a filter to get rid of all the scum. If, like me, you are making a small amount, you can just pour it through some sturdy kitchen roll (the type that claims to be like a cloth), but please don't use ordinairy kitchen roll as it won't be strong enough. Alternatively, a coffee filter paper would be ideal, or perhaps a muslin cloth.

When you have filtered the vodka, pour it into the shots, sitting them on a tray or plate that will fit in your freezer and pop them in for at least an hour. The alcohol prevents the drink freezing over - it just gets nicely chilled.

Remove from freezer and drink!

shot glasses by Toasted Glass