An orange kind of day..

I finally got out and bought the cheap vodka to make my Arancello. I made this last year, along with the more well known limoncello and it was divine. I don't drink vodka as a rule, but if you pour a little shot of this straight from the deep freeze, it is warming, in-your-face sunshine in a glass!!

The recipe is simplicity itself.

6 /7 oranges
Two 70cl bottles of cheap vodka
500g White Sugar
500ml Water

Sterilise two large kilner jars. Wash and peel the oranges, taking care not to remove the bitter pith. I use a vegetable peeler successfully for this. Place half the orange pith in one Kilmer jar and half in the other. Pour one bottle of vodka in each jar. Shake well. Leave to stand and infuse for at least 4 weeks, longer if possible, giving it a friendly jiggle every now and again. After the allotted time, the vodka will have turned a wonderful sunset orange.
Add the sugar and water to a saucepan and melt over a gentle heat to form a syrup. Pour half the syrup in each jar on top of the orangey vodka. Give it all a good shake. Leave for another week or two. When ready to decant, strain the Arancello into sterilised bottles (I keep the original vodka bottles although you'll need more than just the two obviously). Make pretty labels. This is best served icy cold, so keep in the fridge, but then pop in the deepfreeze for at least an hour before serving. Enjoy :)

I then had seven oranges minus their peel, so I decided to make orange curd. I use the microwave method as I find it sets well.
Obviously, this recipe can be halved, but I had a lot of oranges....

Squeeze the juice of six oranges (I ate the other one to give me strength!)
200g butter
1kg sugar
8 eggs beaten

Put all of the ingredients in a large microwaveable bowl and heat at 2 minute increments, stirring each time until thickening. When it starts to thicken, heat at one minute intervals, stirring each time, until set. It can t ale quite a while (15 mins plus) to thicken, but of course it does thicken again once refrigerated. Pour into warm, sterilised jars, as per making jam. Label once cool. Store in a dark cupboard and then the fridge, once opened.

Ps: just for good measure, I have already thought that I will finely mince the vodka soaked orange peel when I strain the Arancello and add it to some of my Christmas truffles. My mouth is watering at the very thought!