CookEat Recipe
Anise Rosolio
A sweet filtered anise-seed liqueur made by Artusi’s two-stage alcohol infusion.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 800 g fine caster sugar; 1 litre drinking water; 800 ml potable food-grade alcohol labelled 95% ABV, divided into 200 ml and 600 ml; 50 g food-grade anise seeds (Pimpinella anisum), preferably Romagna anise.
Step 2
Use only potable food-grade alcohol labelled 95% ABV and sold for making liqueurs; never use denatured, rubbing or fuel alcohol. This is an explicit modern strength choice, not a conversion of an unspecified historical alcohol scale. Measure carefully, keep closed and away from flames, sparks and heat, and never taste the undiluted alcohol.
Step 3
Mix the sugar and water in a clean covered container. Refrigerate at 4°C or colder, shaking or stirring daily with a clean utensil until dissolved. Keep this unfortified syrup refrigerated until needed; drinking water replaces the historical rainwater option.
Step 4
Use culinary anise seeds, not star anise. Pick over them; if rinsing is needed, rinse briefly, drain and dry thoroughly before infusion. Put the seeds in a clean glass jar with 200 ml of the alcohol. Close and infuse for 8 days in a cool room-temperature cupboard, shaking several times daily during the first 3–4 days. Keep the jar away from heat and sunlight.
Step 5
Strain through a clean fine cloth moistened with drinking water and press out the infusion. Add the remaining 600 ml alcohol to the strained extract, close and leave for 24 hours. Discard the strained solids.
Step 6
Combine the extract with all the chilled syrup in a clean glass container with enough headroom. Close and leave for 15 days in a cool dark cupboard, shaking occasionally. Filter through food-safe paper, or several passes through clean food-safe filter cotton in a proper funnel; do not use a wooden broom twig as a filter support.
Step 7
Bottle in clean glass bottles, close and refrigerate. Serve in small liqueur glasses. The estimated 100 small servings and listed time include the full 8-day infusion, 1-day rest and 15-day combined rest. No exact final alcohol percentage or validated long storage life is claimed.
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