For Crepes

• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups whole or 2% milk
• 1 scant cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Bechamel sauce:

• 1 stick of butter
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) flour
• 6 cups milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2-3 tablespoons grated parmigiano or grana cheese (or more, to taste)

Plus:

• 1 lb or 2 heads of red radicchio, washed and cut into strips
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup of dry red wine
• 1/2 an onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 4 tablespoons grated parmigiano, or to taste

Directions:
To make the crespelle, add the eggs and milk to the flour mixing until combined. Add 1 tbsp oil or melted butter. Allow to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Heat some oil in a 9″ non-stick pan, and when the pan is hot add enough batter to form a crepe (no more than 1/4 cup); Distribute the batter over the pan surface, cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on one side, flip with the help of a platter and cook the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan again occasionally. Makes approx. 16 crepes. 
Prepare the béchamel sauce: melt the butter in a heavy pot over low heat. Add the flour, whisking continuously to prevent clumps. Cook on low heat until the flour disappears into the butter, without letting the butter turn brow. Start adding warm (not hot!) milk to the mix, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring the sauce to a simmer, add salt and pepper and keep whisking almost constantly for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Taste, and add more salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. If you still ended up with some lumps, strain through a sieve.  Remove from the heat and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Heat some oil in a skillet. Add the minced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes on low heat. Add the chopped radicchio, salt and pepper; pour in the wine and allow it to evaporate; lower the flame and cook until soft. Stir in about ¾ of the béchamel sauce and set the rest aside.
Grease an ovenproof pan with butter and preheat your oven to 350 F.
Fill the crepes with a few spoonfuls of the radicchio filling, fold them up or roll them and arrange them in a layer in the baking pan; top with the l remaining béchamel sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake for about 20-30 minutes and enjoy!

• About 8 tbsps butter, or more to taste
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup semolina flour
•  1 cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano cheese
• 4 large eggs (use only the yolks)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• ½ teasp of grated nutmeg (if liked)

Directions

Heat the milk in a saucepan with 5 tbsps of butter and ½ teaspoon salt. When the milk is hot, pour in the semolina slowly, whisking continuously (use a whisk and not a spoon to prevent clumps); cook for about 15 minutes, or until cooked; as the mixture becomes too thick for a whisk, switch to a wooden spoon. Remove the mixture from the heat, add salt if needed, and add half the grated cheese and all the egg yolks, combining well. Pour and spread the semolina mixture onto a tray or counter lined wet parchment. With the spatula, spread it to a thickness of about ½” to a maximum of 2/3, and allow to cool. Cut the cold semolina into circles with a round cookie cutter. Arrange the gnocchi in a buttered baking pan, slightly overlapping, and top with some butter flakes, the remaining grated cheese, a touch of grated nutmeg and a little black pepper. Bake in a pre-heated 425 F oven for about 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden-brown. You can dress and bake the trimmings in the same way; I serve the nicely round gnocchi to guests and enjoy the trimmings on my own the next day!

One of the most traditional Italian pasta dishes for Shavuot has ancient roots and a mysterious name: “Masconod”. The original recipe features parmigiano mixed with sugar and cinnamon (the same unusual combination used to dress gnocchi in some areas of North-Eastern Italy), although the less adventurous palates replace the sugar and cinnamon with black pepper. The pasta is rolled-up manicotti-style, but tighter, like Moroccan cigars: since Shavuot commemorates God’s giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, it’s customary to eat some “rolled” foods, resembling Torah scrolls. This is also true of Simchat Torah (which marks the conclusion of the annual Torah reading cycle and the beginning of the next), but the rolls of Shavuot are usually filled with cream or cheese, since “Like honey and milk [the Torah] lies under your tongue” (Song of Songs 4:11)….
While Masconod is traditionally made with fresh lasagna sheets, this  year I’ve tried it with crespelle (Italian crepes) and it was love at first taste! Move over, blintzes! Here are both options:

Ingredients (serves 6)

• fresh lasagna sheets
• OR crespelle (Italian crepes) (double the amount in the crepes recipe)
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar (to taste)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (to taste)
• 3 cups freshly grated Parmigiano, Grana or Parmigianito
• 1 stick unsalted butter, or to taste

Make fresh pasta, cut into 25-30 5-inch squares, cook in boiling salted water a few at a time, drain and dry on an old towel.
If you prefer, make the (round) crespelle following the recipe, and cook in a non-stick skillet.
Combine the cheese with the sugar and cinnamon (or with simple black pepper if you don’t like sweet and savory combinations). Brush each pasta square or crepe with melted butter, and sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons of cheese mixture. Roll up like tight manicottis and arrange in one single layer in a buttered baking tray. Brush the rolls with more melted butter, and top with the remaining cheese mixture. Depending on the size of your baking dish, you can make a single layer or a double layer. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven.

• Fresh Pasta
• 2 pounds of spinach (or a bag of chopped, frozen spinach)
• 1 pound ricotta cheese (regular, do not use fat-free!)
•  salt and peper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 5 teaspoons grated Parmigiano cheese (grated, not shredded)
• 1 whole egg, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup raisins, plumped in hot water and drained (optional)

Directions

Make fresh pasta (I like the recipe here http://www.lacucinaitalianamagazine.com/recipe/pasta_fresca  )
and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes, wrapped in plastic.
Put two pounds of spinach in a pot with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 whole cloves of garlic. Salt and sprinkle with very little water.
Cook covered for about 5 minutes, then uncovered until soft and until most water has been absorbed (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.     Once the spinach has cooled off, drain it through a colander (you can line it with cheesecloth if the holes are too wide), squeezing most of the liquid out.
Chop the spinach and mix it with the ricotta cheese, the egg, salt, spices and parmigiano.  If you like, you can also add raisins and pine nuts. Set aside. Roll the pasta out into a thin sheet and cut a rectangle of at least 10’ x 20” or wider.
Lay the pasta sheet over a cheesecloth or a sheet of parchment. Spread the spinach/ricotta mixture over the pasta and roll up tightly. Wrap the roll in the cheesecloth and tie it with twine at both ends, like an oversized piece of candy. Boil it for 35 minutes in a large pot of salted water, drain and slice.
Arrange in one layer in a baking tray, dress with sage butter (butter melted with sage leaves till golden brown) or a tomato sauce, and extra grated parmigiano. If you added pine nuts and raisins to the filling, sage butter is preferable.

***EASY ALTERNATIVE: if you don’t have time to make the pasta from scratch you can cook dried Barilla or De Cecco lasagna (the regular tipe, NOT the “No-boil”) sheets in salted boiling water for 5 minutes, making sure they don’t break.  After draining, lay the lasagna sheets on paper towel, stuff with filling and roll up.  Put in a baking pan with either marinara sauce or sage butter on the bottom and on top.  Sprinkle with Parmigiano and bake at 400 F for 40 minutes (no convection or they will dry out).
Slice after baking with a sharp knife.

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 whole egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

For the Filling:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced finely
• 1 pound kale (stems removed), chard or spinach, chopped
• 1 pound peas
• 1 pound cleaned, sliced artichoke hearts
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 eggs
•  salt and peper to taste
•  nutmeg to taste

Directions

FOR THE DOUGH:

Sift the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the diced butter and process until the mixture feels like thick bread crumbs. Add the beaten egg and a couple of tablespoons of water.  Process until smooth and elastic like pastry dough. Divide into two balls, one slightly larger than the other, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.

FOR THE FILLING:

In the meantime, heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a large skillet. Add the finely chopped onion and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, then add the rest of the vegetables, salt and pepper, minced parsley, and cook on low heat, covered until soft (15 to 20 minutes) and any liquid has been absorbed. Uncover the pot for the last few minutes if the vegetables are too watery. Let cool.
Dust your countertop with flour and roll out the pastry with a rolling pin. Use the larger disc to line the bottom and sides of a baking pan (previously greased and floured).
Once the vegetables have cooled down, mix 2 beaten eggs into them and add salt and pepper if necessary, and a touch of nutmeg if desired.
Pour the vegetables into the pastry shell and cover with the second disc. Seal the edges, cut a few holes in the top disc with a fork, and bake for about 45 minutes at 375 F. (You can also use the second disc to make decorations for the top, it will look prettier but the first method preserves the most moisture in the filling).

The milk and honey are a reference to the divine love described in the Song of Songs; the rose water is linked to the tradition of Shavuot as the Feast of Roses; finally, the rice symbolizes the marriage between God and His people. 
Can you find a more symbolic dish than this lovely cake of clear Sephardic origins?

.

• 3/4 lb Italian rice such as Arborio, Vialone nano or Carnaroli
• 1/2 lb sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cups pine nuts
• 1 qt milk
• 2/3 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of Rose Water, OR Orange Blossom water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• (*** If you don’t like Rose Water, you can substitute the juice and zest of one orange)

Directions:
Pour the milk, sugar and vanilla extract in a pot and bring it to a boil (enameled cast-iron or non-stick pots work best, if you use a steel pot the rice will tend to stick to the bottom and burn). Add the rice, and cook for 15 to 18 minutes on low heat, stirring frequently. When the rice has absorbed all the milk, remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl.
Once the mixture has cooled off, add the eggs one at a time, the pine nuts, the butter (softened at room temperature and cut into small pieces), and the rose water (or orange blossom water, or orange juice and zest). Mix well with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients have blended together.
Grease a cake pan with butter and dust it with flour, and pour the mixture into it (you can use a Bundt pan, or any cake pan with a nice shape. I like to use one that looks like a flower). Bake for about 30 minutes in a 400 F oven.
Let it cool on a rack and dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

• 2 1/2 cups flour (preferably pastry flour, but you can use all-purose)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 6 oz  butter, softened at room temperature and cut into small pieces
• 1 egg plus one yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• a pinch of salt

(Filling)

• 2 eggs, separated
  /li>
• 1 lb  whole milk ricotta cheese, drained in a colander lined with cheesecloth
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract or Rhum
• 1/2 cup raisins, plumped in warm water and drained
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• grated zest of one lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• One more egg white to “shine” the top

After sifting the flour, put it in a food processor. Add the sugar, salt and blend. Add the butter and incorporate it by pulsing it in until the mixture reaches a crumbly texture, At this point, add the egg and egg yolk, and the vanilla extract, and process into a smooth dough (you can also do all this by hand, of course).
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for one hour.
For the filling, place the ricotta cheese, sugar, and egg yolks in a bowl or food processor and blend them into a smooth, creamy mixture. Stir in the raisins and pine nuts. 
In a clean bowl, with a clean mixer or whisk, beat the reserved egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold them into the ricotta mixture using an upward motion.
Preheat your oven to 375 F and butter a 9″ or 10“ pan and dust it with flour. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and set aside one third. Roll out the remaining 2/3 with a rolling pin. Place the dough disc over the prepared pan, covering the bottom and sides and trimming around the edges.
Pinch some holes into the surface with a fork or a toothpick to prevent the dough from puffing while baking. Pour in all the ricotta mixture and level with a spatula.
Roll the remaining 1/3 of the dough and cut it into strips, which you will place on top of the cake in a diamond pattern.
Beat an egg white with a couple of tablespoons of milk or water, and use it to brush the dough strips on the top of the cake (this will give it shine).
Bake for about 40 minutes. Let the cake cool on a rack before you serve it warm, at room temperature, or cool.

• 1 pound ricotta cheese (made from whole milk, without emulsifiers)
•  4 eggs
•  ½  cup sugar
 (see note above)

•  zest of one lemon or orange. OR ½ teaspoon cinnamon

•  a pinch of salt
•  1 tablespoon mild extra-virgin olive oil



Preheat the oven to 350º F. With an electric mixer or a whisk, beat the eggs with the sugar until creamy. Add the ricotta, salt, and lemon zest or cinnamon. There are two ways to cook Cassola: for the original, older version, grease an ovenproof pan or skillet (it should be 9’ to 9 ½ “ in diameter) with a little olive oil, and heat it on the stovetop. When the olive oil is warm, pour the mixture in and cook on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. Then flip it and cook the other side, like a frittata; OR move it into the 350F oven for 15 minutes, or under the broiler for 5 (it’s like cooking a frittata).
You can also bake Cassola like a cake: in this case, grease a baking pan with little olive oil, dust with flour, matzah meal or breadcrumbs, pour the mixture in, and bake for 40 minutes at 350-375 F. It should be soft and moist inside. 
Finally, if you prefer a souffle’-like texture, proceed in the same way but at the beginning separate the eggs, and fold in the whites last, after beating them till they are stiff (the souffle’ version must be baked in the oven – and make sure not to open the oven until it’s fully cooked!) Cassola can be eaten warm and I like to serve it with an orange sauce made by diluting some warm orange marmalade.

• 300 gr (22oz) flour (about 2 ½ cups but it’s best to weigh)
• 125 gr (4 ½ oz) sugar (a little more than ½ cup)
• 125 gr (1 stick plus 1 tbsp) unsalted butter
• pinch of salt
• zest of 1 untreated lemon
• 1 large egg + 1 yolk (large, not XL)

for the filling:

• 1 pound whole cow’s milk ricotta (in Rome, lucky them, they use sheep’s)

• 100 grams (scant ½ cup) sugar, or more to taste
• (optional: some people add 1 egg and 1 tbsp rhum or anise liqueur)
• 1 jar sour cherry jam such as Rigoni Asiago (or regular cherry jam mixed with little lemon juice)
• OR 2 cups sour-cherries and ½ cup sugar

Place the sifted flour and salt into your food processor, add the cold butter cut into cubes, the sugar, salt, eggs, lemon zest, and pulse a few times until crumbly. Remove from the food processor and work quickly with your hands (keep them cold by rubbing them on ice cubes) until smooth.
Wrap in plastic and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
If using fresh sour cherries, cook them (pitted) for 25 minutes on low heat with ½ cup of sugar and 4-5 tbsps water.
Combine the ricotta with the ½ cup sugar (and egg and liqueur if using: I don’t).
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease and dust a baking pan (I also like to line the bottom with parchment as an extra precaution).
Cut the dough into 2 pieces: one should be about 2/3 and the other 1/3 of the total volume.
Roll out the larger piece on a lightly floured counter and place it on the bottom and sides of the prepared cake pan; brush the bottom with the cherry jam and follow with the ricotta filling. Some people do the opposite and spread the ricotta on the bottom, followed by the cherry jam on top: in this case the ricotta becomes colored by the cherries while the pie is baking.
Roll out the remaining dough into a smaller disc and use it to top the pie, sealing the edges (you can also decorate with strips, but the ricotta stays moister if you “close” the pie. I cut it into a large flower shape, which I felt was large enough for this purpose). Bake for about 45-55 minutes.

For years, I had been intrigued by this curious cake from Livorno (Leghorn), a dessert that features sweet egg threads on top – a sign that it was introduced by the egg-loving Portuguese Jews and <em “mso-bidi-font-style:=””>marranos who were invited to settle in the city by the Grand-Duke of Tuscany in the sixteenth century. With the help of the Jewish merchants, Leghorn became one of the most important port cities in Europe (but also a center of the printing press), and became known as “the city with no ghetto”.
I was already familiar with the local cuisine, and decided to try my hand at this tart, which looked like no other. Unfortunately, the yolk threads proved to be a huge challenge: I didn’t seem to be able to control the flow through the colander (the tool of choice in all the books that listed the recipe). 
My Livornese friends couldn’t help either: apparently they had always encountered the same problem and ended up with a sticky blob or with burns… they said that they used to buy the cake for Shavuot and for Purim from a well-known patisserie, but that when the owner died his tricks were buried with him. I had to wait until the blogging and YouTube era to figure this all out, with the help of some non-Jewish foodies from Portugal, where threaded eggs are often featured on Christmas recipes… in particular, thank you chef Fernando Canales for  teaching me that in the21st century it would be silly to use a colander when most of us have easy access to a pastry syringe (or at least a large syringe to dispense pediatric drops)! 

Cake base:

• 1 1/3 cup finely ground almonds (200 gr)
• ½ cup sugar (100 gr)
• pinch of salt
• grated zest of 1 medium orange
• 1 large egg
• 3 or 4 tbsps candied etrog or lemon peel, finely chopped (optional)

Egg Threads:

• 1 cup + 2 tbsps water (250 ml)
• 2 ¼ cups sugar
• 8 large egg yolks
• 1 tbsp lemon or orange juice
• 1 ½ tbsps orange flower water, if liked (or 1 more tbsp orange juice)

Preheat your oven to 320 F (yes, it’s very low, but if the temperature is higher the “macaroon” will be too crunchy to cut).
Place the sugar and water for the base in a heavy saucepan and simmer until sticky (I have also skipped this step and used plain sugar instead of making the syrup, with an acceptable result). Add the almonds and zest, stirring with a wooden spoon until everything is well combined. Allow to cool, and when it’s just lukewarm add the egg.
Line the bottom of a 9 to 9” baking pan with wet parchment (squeeze it well) and grease the sides. Pour in the cake mixture and press it down gently with your wet fingertips. Bake for about 30 minutes and set aside.
For the egg threads, boil the sugar, water and juice in a frying pan (about 10” wide and with tall-ish sides so the syrup doesn’t splatter all over your stovetop), and simmer until the syrup is thick enough to stick to a spoon (coating it).
Slightly beat the yolks in a small bowl and then fill your pastry syringe with as much beaten egg as it can hold. Now press the yolk out of the syringe and into the simmering syrup, starting at the center and moving the syringe in an outward circular motion so that the egg makes a long spiral thread into the syrup. When you are done, press the thread down into the syrup with a wooden spoon or a spatula and let cook for a few seconds, until it holds together (but it should still be soft).
Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on a double layer of paper towel. Repeat the same process with the rest of the yolks. When all the yolks are cooked and drain, place them in a colander and rinse some of the syrup off with water. Allow them to dry well.
Invert the almond base into a platter, top it with the candied peel and decorate it with the egg threads. It’s worth it!

Not specifically Jewish in origin, this recipe is perfectly Non-denominational: who wouldn’t want to eat it? But for Jews, it’s the perfect Shavuot dessert: layers of mascarpone cream to remind us of the sweetness of Torah, and several shots of espresso to get us through the night of learning (Tiramisu means “pick me up” in Italian!).
The fist of this type of layered cakes, Zuppa Inglese, was made of sponge cake soaked in liquor with alternating layers of chocolate and custard. Legend goes that it was first created for the grand-Duke of Florence in the 17th century, and its popularity resulted in a number of variations in the following centuries, including Tiramisu., which appeared for the first time in the Veneto region in the 1970es, and quickly became a world-renowned specialty.

• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 lb. mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
• at least 3 cups espresso or very strong coffee, cooled to room temperature
• 25 savoiardi (Italian ladyfingers )
• 3 tablespoons Swiss bittersweet chocolate shavings
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

In a large bowl, beat the yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until thick and pale (about 2 minutes). Beat in the mascarpone until smooth.
Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a clean bowl with a clean electric mixer or whisk, until they form peaks. Add the remaining sugar in a slow stream and continue to beat the whites until they hold stiff peaks. In a third bowl, beat the cream until whipped. Fold the cream into the mascarpone mixture gently but thoroughly, then fold in the whites.
Dip the ladyfinger in cooled coffee, one at a time, about 4 seconds on each side (if you soak them for too long they’ll break);  transfer them to an 8-inch glass tray or baking dish at least 2″ high. Arrange half of the dipped ladyfingers on the bottom of the pan, then  spread half of the mascarpone mixture evenly over them. Make another layer of ladyfingers and top with mascarpone mixture. Sprinkle the top with the cocoa and the chocolate shavings. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

*RAW EGG WARNING and PASTEURIZING EGGS
Some people are uncomfortable consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade AA eggs with intact shells. Still nervous? If using pasteurized eggs, it will be harder to beat the yolks frothy and especially to beat the whites stiff: for the yolks, you will just need to beat them longer with an electric mixer; as to the whites, you will need to add a touch of cream of  tartar (or lemon juice or white vinegar); about 1/3 teaspoon cream of tartar or 3/4 teaspoon lemon for 4 whites. You will also need to use an electric mixer and beat for twice as long as you would with regular egg whites You can buy pre-pasteurized eggs in many stores (test are not the egg-beaters but actual whole eggs, that can be separated at home into whites and yolks); or you can pasteurize them following this method.

*KOSHER MASCARPONE not available in your area? Try blending 1/2 whole milk cottage cheese, 1/2 whole milk ricotta with an electric mixer. Not the same, but acceptable. Cream cheese? Not acceptable, the flavor and texture are too different!

* CHILDREN: for a caffeine-free, children-friendly version, replace coffee with decaf coffee or chocolate ; you can also add bananas.

I gave this recipe 
to Lois and Roberta 
of Kosher Eye 
for a guest post…
to see it, click here: 

*RAW EGG WARNING and PASTEURIZING EGGS
Some people are uncomfortable consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade AA eggs with intact shells. Still nervous? If using pasteurized eggs, it will be harder to beat the yolks frothy and especially to beat the whites stiff: for the yolks, you will just need to beat them longer with an electric mixer; as to the whites, you will need to add a touch of cream of  tartar (or lemon juice or white vinegar); about 1/3 teaspoon cream of tartar or 3/4 teaspoon lemon for 4 whites. You will also need to use an electric mixer and beat for twice as long as you would with regular egg whites You can buy pre-pasteurized eggs in many stores (test are not the egg-beaters but actual whole eggs, that can be separated at home into whites and yolks); or you can pasteurize them following this method.

• 3 or 4 untreated red roses, picked at the hottest time of the day ( or you can order organic rose petals on the internet, and use 2 packed cups)
• 1 quart high-quality vodka (for a stronger version you can use 95 percent pure-grain alcohol)
• 1 pound sugar
• 3 ¼ cups water
• 1 vanilla bean or 1 cinnamon stick

Using scissors, separate the petals from the stems discarding the white base of the petals, which tastes bitter.  If you own a marble mortar and pestle, crush the petals (otherwise just skip this step). Steep the petals in a glass jar of vodka or pure grain alcohol with a vanilla bean. Tightly close the jar and set aside in a dark place for 10 to 15 days, shaking gently every couple of days. Strain the liquid, and discard the petals and vanilla.
Dissolve the sugar in the hot water, and add this syrup to the alcohol. Return to the jar, and store for at least another 10 days. Filter, bottle, and enjoy!