I’ve signed up for National Blog Posting Month which means I’m blogging every day of November, 2013. Is this crazy? Possibly, but I love a challenge.
I mentioned this homemade mint extract recipe a while ago on my Facebook page but I figured I should share it here, as well, since not everyone who reads my blog is a follower over there. This simple mint extract was inspired by this recipe on Nourished Kitchen.
I made a batch of this mint extract over the summer, but I am going to make some more while I still have the mint to give as gifts (we recently had our first frost and while most of my plants bit the dust, my mint and some other herbs are still going strong). You should make some, too: all you need to make homemade mint extract is fresh mint and rum (or bourbon or vodka)! And if mint extract doesn’t excite you, you can make vanilla extract instead (here’s a post from Simply Recipes which describes how to do that).
To make the mint extract: you simply pack the jar of your choice (in these photos, you see one that is 2 cups/16 oz/1 pint) with fresh mint leaves (give them a quick rinse and then pat completely dry; I left some stems on but you are free to remove them, if you prefer; some people chop them up, but I didn’t) and then pour the alcohol over the mint. I used rum when I made the jar you see here, but I’ve used vodka in the past. Place the jar in a cupboard for a month or two to allow the flavor of the extract to develop. If you get a jar of mint extract started now, you can use it this winter.
Your homemade mint extract will last for a long time. You don’t have to strain out the herbs (though you can if you want to); you can compost them if you do strain them out.
Ways to use this fresh mint extract: add a little to hot chocolate, use it to make mint chocolate chip ice cream, or Chocolate Mint Mousse.
Related posts:
DIY Mint Extract Recipe from The Prairie Homestead
Homemade Mint Extract from Health Starts in the Kitchen
8 Ways to Use Fresh Mint in Dessert from Serious Eats
