Every now and again I stumble upon a recipe that requires crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur) and I immediately give up making it ’cause blackberry liqueurs are expensive and the recipe usually only requires a very small amount.

A quick google search later and I was surprised to find out that not only is possible do make it at home, but it’s actually a quite simple process, that only requires a hand full of ingredients and, most importantly, very little effort. You know me, if it ain’t easy, it ain’t happening.

My research tells me that any liqueur project should start with an 80 proof neutral base spirit. Vodka being the safest choice since it’s pretty much a blank canvas and will not interfere with color or flavor.

When it comes to fruit, fresh is always best, but frozen also will do (but you have to thaw it before using). Blackberries are not always readily available in Australia, not the fresh ones anyway, I found them at Woolworths, they were having a Halloween thing, quite expensive, I might add, but I couldn’t resist. Costco always have the frozen kind, the one with blueberries and raspberries in the mix, so you’ll have to pick them out. Of course, you can always substitute blackberries for other berries in equal amounts, such as blackcurrants to make créme de cassis or raspberries to make créme de framboises. Oh la la!

Lastly, I should tell you that, although making liqueur is not difficult, this project is time consuming, but these days we have nothing but time, amirite? So let’s get to it.