Finnginn's Favourite Festive Drinks: Number 4 - Dishwasher Vodka

If you are stuck for a last minute gift idea for a sweet-toothed friend, remember: you can convert their favourite candy into an alcoholic beverage using your dishwasher.

What is it?

Definitely not bathtub gin.

Combining sweets and vodka is all about applying enough heat to melt the sweets without boiling off the alcohol. You can’t just chuck all the ingredients in a saucepan and hope for the best. Ideally, it will be done in the bottle in a temperature controlled water bath. Now where can I lay my hands on one of those…?

The dishwasher is not the first kitchen appliance you turn to for cooking. But it is basically a giant steamer with fairly accurate temperature controls. 

(I once read that you could wrap a side of salmon in tin foil and poach it in the dishwasher, but unfortunately I never owned a dishwasher before I was married and my wife is allergic to salmon so still no dice. Do let me know how you get on if you try it! - I reckon a quick shine at 60℃ should do the trick.)

Lidl's delicious Putinoff brand vodka makes a good base. Don't confuse it with Putinka vodka or profits from your purchase will go to allies of the Russian premier. Any old cheap vodka can be used as a base.

Dishwasher Vodka Method

Remove a few ml of vodka from the bottle, replace the missing liquid with sweeties, screw the cap on tightly, pop it in the dishwasher on its intensive 70℃ cycle (ethanol you will recall from high school chemistry boils at around 78℃). When it has finished its run, let the glass bottle cool down slowly (transferring to fridge straight away may lead to a shattered bottle) , shake gently to combine and then either gift wrap or chill ready for serving.

Pro tip: As the dishwasher’s running anyway, you might as well get all the unusual glasses - the sherry schooners, brandy snifters, martini glasses and champagne coups - out of the cupboard and treat them to a detergent-free hotwash ready for the season they’ll be in most demand.

Teetotal Alternative

Hot chocolate bombs. You’ll need some basic chocolaterie skills here and a silicone mould will help. But the principle is basically the same as making easter eggs. Hide marshmallows and a spoonful of instant cocoa in a chocolate sphere and then melt the whole thing in a small pan of milk.

What sweets would you like to see combined with vodka? Let me know in the comments or on the social media.

Photo credit: author's own