Myrtle Liqueur
and
Myrtle Cream

The myrtle harvest takes place from the last days of December to the beginning of January, when the berries are fully ripe. Harvesting earlier compromises the success of the final product.

For the harvest, you take a myrtle branch in your hands and “comb” it with a special tool, taking care not to damage the shrub and letting the berries fall into a container. The berries must then be cleaned of any remaining leaves and left for a couple of days in large sacks. After a few days they are put to infuse (preferably in wide-neck glass demijohns or in stainless steel containers) with 95° alcohol and left to rest for about 40 days.

After this period, the myrtle is drained and passed through a press and the essence produced is collected in a large container. In the meantime, a syrup of water and sugar is prepared in the following quantities (for one litre of essence): 1.2 litres of water and 600 g of sugar. The syrup is boiled for 20 minutes (stirring continuously) and, once cooled, it is added to the essence in the following proportion: one litre of essence / 1.2 l (you can use up to 1.5 l) of finished syrup. The usual recipe indicates a 1/1 ratio, but to our taste this makes the liqueur too strong.

It is then bottled and stored in a cool, dark place.
With the same essence you can also prepare “Myrtle Cream”. A syrup of milk and sugar is prepared in the following quantities (for one litre of essence): two litres of milk and 1,400/1,600 g of sugar. The syrup is boiled for about 15 minutes (stirring continuously) and, once cooled, it is added to the essence. Store in the fridge or in the freezer.

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