Who knows why they’re called mother-in-law’s sugar cubes. I certainly don’t. Perhaps because they sting, or because they catch fire? In any case, if my son-in-law liked me as much as he likes these alcoholic sugar cubes, well, I could certainly consider myself satisfied. Mother-in-law’s sugar cubes are an excellent digestif for Christmas days, but they’re very spirited, so they’re fun to give as gifts as well. They are never missing at my home, and I like to prepare different flavors each time. You only need a few ingredients and one key tip: do not add water (or water-based liqueurs), otherwise they dissolve. Using food-grade alcohol or grappa as a base, instead, the mother-in-law’s sugar cubes will last forever.
If you like the idea of making sugar cubes at home, possibly customizing the shape, read on to find out how.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 20 Days
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 3 or 4 jars
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 11.88 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 1.33 (g) of which sugars 1.31 (g)
- Proteins 0.00 (g)
- Fat 0.00 (g) of which saturated 0.00 (g)of which unsaturated 0.00 (g)
- Fibers 0.01 (g)
- Sodium 0.05 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 4 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Mother-in-law’s Sugary Spirits
The quantities and weights in this recipe are indicative, as mother-in-law’s sugary spirits really leave a lot of room for creativity.
- 1 l pure alcohol
- 500 g sugar (in cubes)
- 3 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 pods cardamom
- 3 leaves bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon licorice powder
- 5 g orange peel (organic)
How to Prepare Mother-in-law’s Sugary Spirits
Alcoholic sugar cubes are very easy to prepare. You need clean and completely dry jars, which we can choose in different shapes and sizes.
The ones I describe here are three jars with different flavors. In the first jar, we place a bay leaf, then fill it halfway with sugar cubes. Then add another leaf and finish filling the jar with sugar cubes. A final leaf and, finally, pour enough alcohol to completely cover the sugar cubes. Seal the jar well.
Following the same procedure, prepare two more jars, one with star anise, cinnamon, orange peel, and cardamom, and one with licorice and orange peel.
Before eating them, let the sugar cubes rest for about three weeks.
To have sugar cubes of different shapes, do as follows: mix the sugar with very little water in a bowl (for 250 g of sugar, 12 ml of water); you will get a barely moist, sandy mixture. Using your fingers, press very well the sugar into silicone candy molds (for example, heart-shaped, like these), without leaving empty spaces.
Level well and microwave at 480 w for 50 seconds. Let cool completely, then remove the sugar cubes from the molds and wait a few days until they’re completely dry. Only then can we put them in the alcohol.
Useful Tips and Suggestions
Here is a list of the best alcoholic sugar cubes I have made over time:
— Orange
— Digestive herbs
— Ginger
— Rose
— Lemon
— Coffee
— Mint
— Mint and chocolate
— Apple and cinnamon
— Red fruits
These sugar cubes come out very well if you use tea blend preparations, provided they are of excellent quality. This is how I made the rose, red fruit, and apple with cinnamon ones. I think they would also come out well with turmeric root, and I plan to try it.
If you decide to make the sugar cubes at home, do some tests in advance to ensure they are completely dry; and be careful not to make the cubes too large, or they will be excessively strong.
If well packaged, the jars of mother-in-law’s sugary spirits will make a great Christmas gift (also paired with quince apple jelly with ginger or cinnamon and almond cookies).
Returning to the HOME, you will find many sweet and savory recipes for Christmas, as well as many vegetarian dishes. Don’t lose sight of me, because soon my holiday specials will be out. And why not follow me also on Facebook and Instagram, while you’re at it? You’ll find quick recipes, many useful tips, and you’ll never run out of dinner ideas again.
Note: This recipe contains affiliate links.
