Walnut schnapps

Walnut schnapps - based on green, unripe walnuts - is very special and commonly regarded as the most superior of all flavoured schnappses.

It has a beautiful dark brown mahogany colour and a wonderful taste and flavour - almost like Cognac.

Enjoy on its own or after a good meal.

Walnut schnapps should be stored for 5 years or even more before serving - it only gets better and better.

True schnapps makers do that - but I have never had the patience to wait that long.

Usually I store my walnut schnapps for 7-8 months, sometimes even a year. By that time it's absolutely very enjoyable.

Walnut

The walnut tree is a deciduous, tall and very ornamental tree with a smooth, grey bark and a large spreading crown.

It has dark green, very aromatic leaves and yellow-green catkins that appear in late spring or early summer.

The unripe fruits are green and fleshy, each containing a woody nut.

The fruits are used for making pickles and liqueurs such as the French Brout de Noix.

The essential oil is used for culinary purposes and in artists' paints.

Walnut wood is a hardwood. It's used for furniture and flooring making - and wood carving.

More information about the walnut tree

Recipe

Use fresh, big, green and unripe walnuts.

Pick them when they have reached their actual size. Or when you can easily put a needle right through.

Remember to wear gloves - walnut tannin stains are very difficult to wash off.

Direction:

• Cut 5-6 unripe walnuts in quarters.
• Put them in a clean glass jar with tight-fitting lid.
• Cover well with clear, unflavoured vodka - 40% (80 proof). Leave some air above the vodka.
• Steep for 5 months - in a dark place at room temperature,
  18-20°C (64-68°F).
• From time to time, or at least once a month, shake lightly with the lid off the jar - or stir with a spoon - to allow some oxydation.
• Strain and filter your infusion into a clean glass bottle or jar with tight-fitting lid.
• Store (age) for at least 7 months in a dark place at room temperature before serving.

  However, the longer you store your walnut schnapps - up to 5 years or even longer - the better it gets.

• Filter once more.

During steeping your walnut infusion will change colour from pale green to dark green.

Also - the infusion might look very unappetizing, and very often you will see essential oil globules on the surface.

But that's just the way it should be at this stage.

After filtration your infusion becomes black, sometimes within a couple of hours, due to the oxydation.

After some months' storage the colour will change again - this time into a beautiful dark mahogany brown.

Walnut schnapps is very strong-flavoured, so you need to dilute it rather much with the same kind of vodka you used as base - often 1:10 or 1:15.

But taste it first - then dilute to suit your taste.

Important - after dilution you should leave the schnapps for at least 14 days to settle.

Note: If for some reason you are not satisfied with your infusion, there are ways to adjust both taste and flavours - click here to see how.

Serve your walnut schnapps at room temperature in suitable glasses. And remember to keep your schnapps bottle tightly closed and in a dark place before and between servings.