Homemade Galliano® (Long and Kibbey) Recipe

Miscellaneous Untried Recipes

This is from a collection of recipes from books I own, but which I haven't myself tried yet. However, you can have faith that at least the authors themselves have tried them, so they're not deadly or anything.

[From Classic Liqueurs by Long & Kibbey]

• 1 tsp. chopped, dried angelica root
• 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
• 1 whole clove
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 2 1/2 cups water *
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp anise extract
• 1/2 tsp banana extract
• 1/2 tsp (scant) pineapple extract
• 1 1/2 cups pure grain alcohol *
• 1 tsp glycerine
• 2 to 3 drops yellow food coloring

First, Long & Kibbey have a few things to say about this recipe. Mostly, they had a devil of a time getting a good Galliano taste-alike, a fact well testified in the complexity of this recipe. But they also discovered that things just didn't work right if they used straight 80-proof vodka. They found things worked best if you used grain alcohol, but that 100-proof vodka worked passably well. See the bottom of the recipe for how much water and vodka to use for 100-proof vodka rather than grain.

Put angelica, connamon, clove, nutmeg and vanilla bean in medium saucepan, add water. Heat to boil, remove from heat. Stand 15 seconds. Then pour through wire-mesh strainer, lined with a coffee filter, into a bowl. (It's important to work quickly or the spices will impart too strong a color and taste to the liquid.) Hold on to the vanilla bean, discard the other spices.

Rinse saucepan and pour liquid back into it. Add vanilla bean and sugar. Heat to boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Add lemon juice, extracts, and alcohol, stirring to combine. Pour into aging container. Cap, and age in a cool, dark place for 1 week.

Then strain through a cloth bag set in a wire-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Repeat until desired clarity is reached. Stir in glycerine and food coloring. Bottle, seal, age for 3 to 6 months.

*Note: if using 100-proof vodka instead of pure grain, use 3 cups vodka and reduce water to 1 cup. 80-proof vodka just doesn't work.