Make Ahead

FRENCH 44

by:
December  6, 2009
0
0 Ratings
FRENCH 44
  • Serves l litre
Author Notes

Before the holidays each year I used to make my own lemoncella. It was beautiful and tasted good too. Then it seemed like overnight everyone I knew was making the stuff. So, somewhere I found this recipe . It was so long ago and I have so many cookbooks and recipe sources that I cannot remember which one it came from. However, the recipe is sooo simple that it is unforgettable...so is the taste! —dymnyno

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 large orange (I prefer navel)
  • 44 whole roasted coffee beans
  • 1 litre vodka or moonshine if you have a supplier (like someone in the Southern states)
  • 44 white sugar cubes (which is the equilivent of 44 teaspoons of sugar)
Directions
  1. Take the large orange and stud it with 44 coffee beans. Push them firmly into the flesh of the orange (It will smell wonderful as you work)
  2. After you have studded all the 44 coffee beans into the orange, put the orange into a large glass jar or crock.
  3. Into the glass crock , pour a litre of vodka (any brand...don't spend a lot of money) or moonshine.
  4. Into the glass crock with the studded orange and the litre of vodka, put 44 sugar cubes (I use the French ones)
  5. Leave the glass crock with the orange, vodka and sugar cubes in a sunny spot for guess how long? 44 days!
  6. Gently shake up the mixture every few days.
  7. After 44 days, remove the orange. The sugar will be disolved.
  8. Using cheesecloth and a funnel, strain the liqueur several times. Then pour it into nice looking bottles and gift.
Tags:
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Anna Rachel
    Anna Rachel
  • Sagegreen
    Sagegreen
  • Bevi
    Bevi
  • dymnyno
    dymnyno
  • pierino
    pierino

Popular on Food52

23 Reviews

Anna R.
Anna R. May 29, 2020
A sugar cube is only a half teaspoon. Therefore, 22 tsp or 44 cubes.
 
cheribarry
cheribarry June 1, 2011
I made this up on Victoria Day weekend (May 21) at the cottage. I have renamed it "Georgian Bay 44" but it may become Georgian Bay 40 so I can taste it on July 1st, Canada Day. It is great so see it sitting there steeping after driving 3 hours. I'll keep you posted.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 2, 2011
Isn't this great? Mine is now ready (yay!). It is beautiful. We will have a birthday toast this evening with some: Thank you, Mary, for sharing this gem.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen April 18, 2011
Great recipe. I love coffee and orange together, too!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen April 18, 2011
OK, I just made up a batch with a small orange and a lemon. Some of the coffee beans have already fallen out of the orange rind. Is that a problem? With my birthday just about 44 days away, I don't want any jinxes!
 
dymnyno
dymnyno April 18, 2011
I don't think it should be a problem if a few fall out. It is tough to get those little beans to stick in the orange. I usually use a sharp point of a knife to put a little slit into the orange before I shove the bean into the orange.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen April 18, 2011
That's exactly what I did. I am very excited about this recipe and have a whole new way to look forward to the next 44 days! I calculated that 44 spoonfuls was just a hair over 7/8ths of a cup.
 
cheribarry
cheribarry April 16, 2011
This is also in the book "French Taste" by Laura Calder. So simple, I must try it so it is ready for cottage time. Or better yet, make it my first weekend up there. What a good tradition. We cannot live by wine alone.
 
dymnyno
dymnyno April 17, 2011
It must be an old French recipe. I have been making French 44 long before her book was published.
 
Bevi
Bevi April 16, 2011
This looks like a fun project.
 
dymnyno
dymnyno April 16, 2011
Thanks...It is delicious. I'm going to try it with a blood orange to get the great color, next.
 
dymnyno
dymnyno January 9, 2011
I was lucky that one of our winery customers sent me a few mason jars of some of her local moonshine. This will boost the alcohol content a little!!
 
dymnyno
dymnyno December 19, 2009
French 75 is a drink made as you described. French 44 is a liquer and 43 is also a liquer with vanila and citrus flavors made in Spain.
 
pierino
pierino December 19, 2009
I'm sure this is descended from the famous French 75 which goes back to the era between "the wars"; those being I and II. It's named after a French artillery piece. If I remember correctly (not having fought in either of those wars), the ingredients are gin, cointreau, lime juice, sugar and finished with sparkling wine.
 
Janneke V.
Janneke V. December 19, 2009
43 is made in Cartagena (Spain) and is made with 43 secret ingredients. It's very tasty, hard to say what it tastes, like just try it when you come across it ones. I secretly hope this recipe tastes a bit like it.
 
dymnyno
dymnyno December 19, 2009
I don't think this is anything like yours. Mine really only has 4 ingredients. 43 sounds like something like absenthe which has many ingredients, a secret formula for those ingredients that was handed down by monks.
 
Maria T.
Maria T. December 17, 2009
Ooohm this souds great - orange and coffee beans! I also use the same method with the liqueur in the sun! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
 
Janneke V.
Janneke V. December 16, 2009
I only know a liquor called 43, is this the same thing?
 
dymnyno
dymnyno December 16, 2009
Tell me about it...I have never heard of it.
 
ageekymom
ageekymom December 10, 2009
44 teaspoons is almost a cup (0.929 cups, to be precise)
 
dymnyno
dymnyno December 11, 2009
thanks!! for the info...makes measuring a lot faster and neater.
 
dymnyno
dymnyno December 7, 2009
According to google, one sugar cube is equal to one teaspoon of sugar.
 
eatboutique
eatboutique December 7, 2009
I've been looking for a coffee liquor recipe, and now I have one. Hmm... if you don't have 44 sugar cubes, do you know the equivalent in ounces or cups?