Vanilla Vodka

I know that if time is short and cash is light then making a gift can seem like the last thing you have the last thing you have the nerves for ..  but this takes about 2 minutes, and costs about £16 ... there is still time to do it!  ( Waitrose vodka is £10.60 & the Nadali Vanilla pod £4.99)

You can buy flavoured vodkas, but believe me: this is so much nicer and more vanilla-y. I love to use this in cocktails and I give it as a gift with the cocktail recipe below attached to the bottle. 

It also goes on a treat  on Christmas puddings if like me you've drunk all the brandy,  that is if you can bear to pour it in the pudding rather than into a cocktail glass!

Makes 1 x 75cl bottle

Prep time  2 minutes – or more if you drink some !

75cl vodka

3 vanilla pods

250g Vanilla Sugar

2 tsp of edible glitter (optional)

1 Put all the ingredients into a sterile glass bottle and seal. Shake well.

2 Shake several times a day over the course of a week and the sugar will dissolve to leave you with a beautiful clear liqueur with vanilla flecks

Vanilla White Russian

Serves 1

Prep time 2 minutes

50ml Vanilla Vodka

25ml coffee liquor

25ml single cream

Fill a shaker (or a jam jar if you don’t have one!)  two thirds  full with ice add a large (50ml) shot of Vanilla vodka and a shot of Kahlua or coffee liquor . Shake and strain into an ice-filled glass. Pour a small shot of single cream over the top,. You get it to sit on top by pouring it over the back of a spoon. Finish with a dusting of cocoa powder.

Tip  - you can use Baileys instead of cream