Arancello Recipe

An aromoatic and delicious Orange Liqueur from an interview with Tammy Cross in Northern California

This recipe can be converted to use whichever citrus you prefer. The fruit needs to be organic or free from a wax coating. You will also need two one-gallon glass jars with tight fitting lids, a sieve for straining out the peels and a funnel and unbleached coffee filters for bottling the final product. This recipe can easily be doubled. I hope you make this recipe and enjoy it and gift it! 

1 750ml bottle of at least 120 proof Everclear or if unavailable, 100 proof vodka. 

12 organic oranges 

3 cups sugar

3 cups water 

With a sharp vegetable peeler, remove them outside skin of the oranges avoiding any of the white pith. This is very important that you only use the very thin outside layer. The pith with make the liqueur bitter. 

Place the peels into a one gallon jar and cover with the alcohol. Secure the jar tightly. Place in a dark spot or cupboard away from sunlight. Once a week, swirl the contents. Let this sit for one month. You will notice that the peels will lose their color and become stiff. 

The day before bottling, make the simple syrup. 

Combine 3 cups water to 3 cups of sugar in a heavy saucepan. Stir and cook on low heat until sugar dissolves. Once the sugar is dissolved, increase the heat and bring the mixture just to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate overnight. You want this mixture to be cold when you add it to the alcohol or the final product will be cloudy. The goal is for the liqueur to be clear. 

The next day, strain the peels from the alcohol into the second one-gallon jar. 

Remove your simple syrup from the refrigerator. Slowly and gently add the simple syrup to the alcohol. Stir the contents together gently. It won’t be clear at first, but give it 15 minutes to settle. Let this mixture sit in a cool space for 2-3 days. 

Funnel into bottles using a coffee filter to catch any bits that may have been missed. When filling, leave a 1-inch headspace. Secure with a top, place your labels on the bottles and store in the freezer. This is best consumed a few weeks after it is made straight from the freezer. 

This recipe is from Tammy Cross, to read the full interview with Tammy and her kitchen adventures, please click here.