How to Make Conversation Hearts-Infused Vodka

What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than by taking a favorite holiday treat and updating it for the adult palate! Just in time for the holiday, we give you a base for your most romantic cocktails—Conversation Hearts-infused vodka.

 

 

For this project you’ll need:

 

 

 

 

Start by simply separating the Conversation Hearts by color. There weren’t many of the yellow-colored ones in the packages I bought, so I skipped them. Obviously the white ones won’t produce anything more than a milky color, but if you’re partial to their flavor, go for it. You’ll want 25-30 of each, no matter what colors you choose. I used 30 Conversation Hearts to 6 ounces of vodka. If you want a lighter pastel shade (or a less sweet taste), use fewer.

 

 

 

 

Fill the water bottles with 8 ounces of vodka each, drop in the Conversation Hearts (separated by color, of course) and leave to process until dissolved.

 

       

 

 

 

Every once in a while, give the bottles a good shake. I left my bottles to process overnight and by morning the candies had all dissolved.

 

 

 

 

After the candies have dissolved, you’ll notice some faint pieces still floating within the vodka. I find that it adds to the sweetness, so I left them in, but if you prefer, you can strain them out. Keep in mind that this will not only make the drink less sweet, but it will also lighten the color. The simplest way to strain them is to use a fine-mesh kitchen strainer (be sure to wash it well between colors) and strain the liquid over a 2-cup glass measuring cup. You can also use a coffee filter or paper towel, but the paper towel might also add a bit of lint to your cocktails. Yuck.

 

Next, pour them into the glass bottles. Use a funnel if you don’t have a steady hand (or if you’ve already been taste-testing…)

 

      

 

 

 

Now you’ve got 5 beautiful bottles of pastel-colored Conversation Heart-infused vodka, perfect for Valentine’s Day.

 

Place them in the freezer for a few hours or overnight, and voilà!  They’re ready to serve.

 

 

These soft-pastel-colored drinks look great in a small martini glass as we’ve done above. For an added zip, wet the rim and dip it in matching-colored sanding sugar.

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!