Diy Sweet Vermouth Recipe

• 1 orange
• 3 1/4 cups white wine, divided
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon dried chamomile
• 8 cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender
• 1/4 teaspoon wormwood leaf
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup sweet or India sherry

1. Zest the orange and set aside the rest of the orange for another use.
2. Pour 1 cup of the wine into a pot and set the rest aside. Add all the orange zest, cinnamon stick, chamomile, cardamom, star anise, lavender, and wormwood and cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain out solids and return liquid to the pot.
3. In a separate pot, pour in the sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, to caramelize it. Once sugar melts into a caramel-colored liquid, in about 5 minutes, turn off the heat and let caramelized sugar cool.
4. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan or tea kettle, then measure 1/4 cup and slowly pour it into caramelized sugar, stirring as you pour. Be careful!
5. Add remaining wine (2 1/4 cups) to the herb-infused wine. Bring it to a boil, then pour it slowly into the pot of caramelized sugar syrup, stirring frequently to integrate them. Add brandy and sherry, then let cool. Pour cooled mixture into a bottle, seal and store in the refrigerator.

orange, white wine, cinnamon, chamomile, pods, anise, dried lavender, wormwood leaf, sugar, boiling water, brandy, sweet

Taken from www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/12/how-to-make-red-vermouth-homemade-sweet-vermouth-recipe.html (may not work)