Christmas recipe: Ginger-spiced vodka (makes 750ml)

Ingredients

700ml vodka

100g fresh ginger

3 balls stem ginger in syrup, drained

3 tbsp stem ginger syrup

1 large cinnamon stick

4 cloves

4 cardamom pods

2 tbsp dark muscovado sugar

Method

1. Pour the vodka into a sterilised kilner or screw-topped jar. Peel the fresh ginger, chop into small pieces and add to the vodka. Finely chop the stem ginger and add to the jar along with the stem ginger syrup. Snap the cinnamon stick in half and add to the jar along with the cloves, cardamom pods and dark brown sugar.

2. Tightly secure the lid and give the vodka a good shake to dissolve the sugar. Leave the jar in a cool part of the kitchen and give it another good shake every day for 2-3 weeks (or as long as possible – the longer the vodka infuses the greater the flavour will be).

3. Strain into a jug and then pour into clean, sterilised bottles ready to be packaged as gifts.