Alcohol 101: DIY Kahlua

You can make Kahlua. 

I’m featuring part of the Poser Homestead overpriced alcohol series. I used to keep a full bar stocked at all times. If friends came over I wanted to offer them a drink not say, “Want ice or no ice in your water?”

Stocking a full bar requires a minimum of some basic alcohols and liquors. Kahlua is a base liqueur. If you’re serious or a poser bartender or foodie in training, you need this. Even if you don’t drink, this is a useful alcohol for desserts and cooking.

You can whip this up quick–in ten minutes or less using the lazy way. Or, you can plan ahead and do it right, steeping vanilla beans and brewing some high-quality coffee.

I cannot endorse the lazy way. I provide instructions for informational purposes only.

Homestead Amaretto

  • Servings: Depends How Much You Drink
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

INGREDIENTS
The lazy way:
  • 2 cups rum or vodka (or combo of both)
  • 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1/4 c freeze-dried coffee (or espresso)
  • 3 cups water
The right way:
  • 2 cups rum or vodka (or combo of both)
  • 2 vanilla beans or 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1- 1 1/2 cups really strong coffee.
  • 2 cups water
DIRECTIONS
  1. Cook up a syrup your water and sugar.
  2. Add coffee or freeze-dried coffee.
  3. Take off heat.
  4. Add the vodka or rum
  5. Add vanilla beans or extract.
  6. You can drink this now if using only extracts. Steep for a 3+ weeks (or more), until the vanilla sets in if you are using vanilla beans.

Common-sense safety note: Turn off the stove before adding vodka. If it splashes, it will flame. COST: $$$  You could steal vodka from the dude on the corner with the paper bag around the bottle. Then this’d be cheap. But, I used to work in restaurants. I cannot buy cheap booze. This one’s a “quality over quantity” recipe.

Things to do with your kahlua:

Now that you have (nearly) free top-shelf liquor, you’ll want to do something with it. Here are some ideas.

  • Drink it. Straight–or with an ice cube.
  • Use it in coffee. It makes the day better.
  • Bake with it.
  • Make a high-quality tiramisu.
  • Give it as gifts for Christmas.
  • Bribe your kids’ teachers with it. Grades will go up.