Banana Vodka

Mmmmmmmmmm.

So; I realise this is (arguably) the most disgusting looking thing I've posted thus far, but I assure you that it tastes better than it looks...

Banana vodka was an experiment I conducted a few weeks ago (before going to Dubai), which I then bottled and left to fester in the back of the fridge. I've not really heard of people making it before or seen recipes calling for it, but I like bananas and had some that needed using.

Having almost completely forgotten of its existence, I was quite gobsmacked when I finally tested it last night and found how good it is.

The good news is, it's easy to make. Like most fruit infused vodkas it contains only fruit, sugar and vodka. Being a soft fruit it only needs to infuse for 24-48 hours.

The bad news is, I can't remember the quantities I used. I seem to remember it being something to do with 25g and 75g, and thinking I didn't need to write it down because I'd definitely remember.

I'm pretty sure though that I mashed one ripe banana (75g?), covered it with vodka in an airtight jar, then added white sugar to taste (25g?). Give it a really big shake, then again every time you walk in the kitchen. After 48 hours it should look as disgusting as that which is pictured above, at which point it's time to strain.

This is a 2 stage process. The first involves using a sieve to remove the large particles (see above), then the second using cloth to remove the pith. I used strong kitchen tissue instead of cloth for mine, which was a pain in the ass but did eventually work.

Decant into a clean bottle and refrigerate until use.

In the name of Vegan Mobo (it's a hard life); I created a cocktail using it last night.

With the exception of banoffee, the main use of banana in my life is for making milkshakes. As it also goes well with chocolate, I wanted to make a creamy shot with cream and chocolate syrup.

Having decided to make a layered shot, I quickly (only 4 drinks) found that cream was both too sickly and had a density too similar to the vodka to layer properly. Therefore I switched to vanilla soy milk, which works so much better.

It's with great pleasure that I give you my "Banana Split".

Squirt some chocolate syrup into the bottom of a shot glass, then pour banana vodka into the glass via the back of a teaspoon. Allow to sit for a moment (whilst it completely separates), then very carefully add the vanilla soya milk to the top (I used fresh So Good).

If you've not made layered shots before then it can take some practice to get right (see YouTube for videos), but it all goes down the same way in the end. Talking of which, it's best to drink these in one go, mixing the flavours together in your mouth before swallowing.

You may need to experiment with the amount of syrup you use, to ensure that enough comes out with the drink and doesn't just stick to the sides! :)