Orange-Vanilla-Infusion (Sous-Vide Base for Creamsicle)

When I was a kid, and I am sure everyone can relate, an Orange-Creamsicle-Bar was a huge treat. Although father time has caught up with me (A Good Thing), I still think Creamsicles are a treat, but now they can come with a kick. 

This recipe is the base for an Orange-Creamsicle Cocktail. Again my favorite ethanol to use is Everclear because it's a neutral spirit and its high ABV (95%). Starting with a very high ABV allows you more flexibility when it comes to dialing in the desired ABV after dilution. And because it's 190-Proof (95% ABV), you get more bang for your buck.  

Most Creamsicle drinks start out with a Vanilla or whipped Vanilla Vodka. To this, sometimes Orange Juice, Triple Sec, or Cointreau is added as well and Half and Half. All this is added to a Cocktail shaker with different ratios. 

Gee Whiz Stuff- Based on searches, Whipped Vodka is infused with Voda, and a dried powdered form of cream then is filtered several times to produce a clear product. Vanilla Vodka is infused with Vanilla beans and then filtered. Triple sec is an infusion using Orange skins (15%-30% ABV), and Cointreau is made from sweet and bitter orange skins and is generally stronger than Triple Sec. Using this recipe for your base serves as an advantage because you can eliminate several ingredients when making a Creamsicle Cocktail. All you need is Half and Half because the base has everything included. Although adding a little Orange Juice can really up the OJ flavor and reduce the ABV. If you desire a Creamsicle with less kick, only adding cream is not the best approach. Add the OJ if you want less of a kick. This infusion has a 40% ABV and is 80-Proof. I will explain later how I dialed in those numbers. 

Before we begin, I would suggest taking a look at my other infusions. What's the recipe? I used 8 lbs of Oranges (Zest and Juice), 10-Madagascar Vanilla Beans, and 3 Bottles of EverClear 3 X 750 ml., 1000 grams of sugar, and enough distilled water to dilute to 40% ABV and 80-Proof. I'll discuss the calculations all through the post and show you how I arrived at my desired 80-Proof. If you want a lot of details on the math I used, click the photo to the left.

I used 8 lbs of Oranges, which seemed to be about just perfect for overall volume. Whether you use 8 or 12 lbs, it won't make that much of a difference. The extra Orange will yield more flavor, Zest, and Juice.

  The first thing I did was wash the Oranges. Use a peeler and remove the zest being careful to avoid getting the pith. If you find you cut too deep and got to much pith, just use a knife to scrape it off.
Cut the Oranges to an appropriate size and juice them using your favorite gadget. Squeeze them over a Nut-Bag. I've found Nut-Bags to be superior to cheesecloth for this task. Squeeze out all the juice. Weigh the Juice!!! This number is essential to calculate the ABV. As you can see, it weighed in at 1019 ml.

I was able to find some nice Madagascar Vanilla  Beans for this infusion. 

I used ten of them. The Vanilla Beans were split wide open and added to the bag.

To an enormous container, I added all the Ever-Clear (2250 ml.), Sugar (1000 grams), Juice  (1019 ml.), and Distilled Water (1074.75 ml.).  See the math? 2250 + 1000 + 1019 + 1074.75 = 5343.75. Stir vigorously using a whisk.  

Sugar + Juice + Distilled Water = 3093.75, which was needed to dilute the Ever-Clear down to 40% ABV and 80-Proof.  

I used a large container to stabilize the triple-sealed bag. I tossed everything the bag, including, of course, the Zest and split Vanilla Beans. Use the displacement method to submerge—then process at 140f  for 6-Hours. Yes, it could be processed for less time if the bag was smaller. 

All done... See that beautiful color? 
I used a large container with a strainer with cheesecloth to catch the Zest and Vanilla Beans. The bag was so huge I had to cut a few holes at the bottom to drain before dumping all the contents in the colander. 


















Grab the corners of the cheesecloth and twist and squeeze to extract as much juice as possible. 

Liquid Gold!!! But we are not done.!!! We have to strain one more time through the Nut-Bag.

I used an enormous container and placed a Chinois over the top. I then put the Nut-Bag into the Chinois and strained the OJ infusion. 

Before bottling, make sure to clean bottles very thoroughly. Although not necessary, I love this product to clean the bottles. 

Cooling them off with ice and water. I like using an aquarium pump to circulate water. The acqua pump improves cooling by 30%. 

To make Cocktail..... I like the 3-1-1 ratio. 3-Parts infusion, 1-Part OJ, and 1-Part half and half cream. Toss in some ice and give it a shake. This is so freakishly good!!!!!! 

NOTE: I did not take into account the alcohol density. One bottle of Everclear is 750 ML., but in grams, it weighs 603 grams. The Proof is actually about 65 Proof.