When we moved into the new house, there were two trees that, in the spring flowered and smelled amazing... one was a May Day tree and the other, you guessed -- a crab apple tree. I spent all fall researching exactly what to do with the little crab apples. I had to do something! They were so beautiful!One lovely fall day, I cajoled K into pulling out the ladder and helping me position it so I could start picking the apples. It's a darned good thing that it's not my day job!
I had a huge bucket full, and, sadly, only was able to use half (that's including the applesauce that tanked!) The crab apple liqueur has only just surfaced. With so much going on this winter, I didn't get it bottled in time for Christmas, so I'll be doing some little deliveries with late Christmas gifts.
I scoured the internet for a good recipe, and found one on a great blog called: A Bushel of What? that focuses on locally grown recipes. Love her blog!
Crab Apple Liqueur
modified from A Bushel of What 1.75 L vodka (I used Kirkland brand from Costco)
8-12 cups crabapples, rinsed and quartered (so that they fit into the mouth of the bottles)
7 cups sugar
Put crab apples into two 750 mL bottles and cover sugar and vodka. Cap and shake up. Then place in a dark space for at least 2-4 weeks, turning the bottles regularly to avoid sugar settling in one spot. When you're ready to place into small bottles for gifts, pour the liqueur into them through a strainer to catch the apple pieces.
Enjoy!
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