Home Made Coffee Liqure

Ok, so there's the official list of what's safe for coeliacs to drink, and then there's all the real life experiences (read the comments below the article) that make that list as clear as mud. That's what's good about the Internet though, because at least you can read the comments and reader feedback and come to your own conclusions. Without that feedback, I'd feel like a (n even more) giant freak.

Speaking for myself, I used to have a big problem with wines, which I originally thought was due to milk protein (to which I'm allergic) being used as a clearing agent, but since buying some certified vegan wines (casien free) wine and still reacting, I guess it can also mean that there may indeed have been gluten used to clear the wine as the dude in the wine store says is often the case. I haven't found any co-op wines with gluten in them, however to get an idea of which wines types or regions might do this.

I also react to caramel colouring (an E number, which has nothing to do with the food, and is often wheat derived in Europe) and have discovered that despite what most barmen have been told, that most dark or amber coloured liqueur is almost certain to have have some of this additive added to the final product to pretty it up for consumers.

Case in point: Jose Cuervo 100% agave Tequila in amber leaves me in an uncomfortable rash for days, while the clear (and cheaper) version of this 100% agave distillation leaves me bouncy with good memories of the night before. Same story with Bacardi white vs gold. Same gluten free alcohol base, different colour, different outcomes.

While I'm happy and relived to have found what works for me, I miss variety, and I really miss after dinner liqueurs.

But guess what? Some liqueurs are super easy to make!

The following recipe required no speciality shopping and comes out tasting exactly like Tia Maria, but I'm hoping (fingers crossed) that it will improve with the recommended 2 weeks of maturing (I don't know how, but I can hope, right?). It has a strong coffee kick, so if I was going to shop for ingredients it might be worth buying decaf, or mixing decaf and regular instant coffee 50%-50%.

I was a little concerned that Bacardi wasn't strong enough as the original recipe called for 100% proof alcohol, so am thinking that if I don't like how the final product is in two weeks I might hunt out this 100% proof white rum or a 100% potato based vodka for future ventures.

Preparation Time:
It takes about 15 minutes on the hob (although I used my thermomix so I wouldn't need to watch it), about 30 minutes to cool (I left the kitchen window open with the jug on the sink) and then pour into suitably large empty bottle. I recommend keeping some used wine bottles around, as the near empty 700ml bottle of Bacardi I had wasn't big enough and I wound up filling up an empty mini ouzo bottle and a jam jar.

Coffee Liqueur

• 300 grams unbleached caster sugar (that's what I had, you can use white regular sugar)
• 100 grams brown sugar. (I want my liqueur dark brown and sticky)
• 475 ml water
• 15 grams instant coffee granules (a little under 100ml in a measuring jug. Consider using decaf!)
• 15 ml vanilla extract (I used Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract, but look for one that has no colouring added, and ideally, which lists it's ingredients as "vanilla extract" and "alcohol"). 
• 475 ml white Bacardi. You can use this equivalent of vodka for a taste like Kahula if you prefer. 

Method:

1. Combine sugar and water and slowly bring to boil, stirring well. (Note: in a thermomix this took forever to happen even at 100C. I had to hit 'Varoma' before it finally boiled) 
2. Let it simmer for ten minutes (in the thermomix, I switched it back to 100C which steamed more than simmered, on speed 1) and mix from time to time. Now let cool, which will take a while. 
3. Add the coffee granules and the vanilla extract, then the Bacardi and fill into an empty bottle. I used a measuring jug to pour into an empty 700ml Bacardi bottle, but still needed more room! 
4. Close bottle(s) (and in my case, jam jar) tightly and keep in a cool dark place for 2 weeks. 

Coffee not your thing?
Try your hand at making lemoncello or coconut liqueur just as easily as above (although I will swap Bacardi in place of vodka, and forget the brandy in the coconut liqueur, as I can't find one without the dreaded colourant.)