Hazelnut Liqueur

12 ounces hazelnuts, chopped

1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise

2 generous pinches ground allspice

3 cups vodka

⅓ cup sugar syrup (see spiced liqueur recipe)

Place the hazelnuts in a wide-mouthed, sterilized quart jar. Add the vanilla bean, allspice and vodka. Store in a cool, dark place for two weeks, shaking the jar occasionally. Strain the mixture through a sieve lined with cheesecloth, then pour it through a funnel lined with a coffee filter into a bowl. Repeat this last step as many times as needed to produce a clear liquid. Add the sugar syrup, return the liqueur to the jar, and age for three more weeks before bottling it in sterilized jars or bottles.

Makes about 1 quart.

"Old Fashioned Christmas Cookbook" (1996 Time-Life Books)