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Step 1: Ingredients
There are just two ingredients in this Instructable: vodka and Skittles.
Skittles
You need to end up with 180g of each flavor of Skittle. Since Skittles are approximately 1g each, you can accomplish this with 180 skittles. We used two 450g bags for our experiment -- other bag sizes are perfectly acceptable.
(Of course, if you want to experiment with making the vodka to be more flavorful, you could definitely try more skittles than this. This was what we found as a good flavor level, without using too many bags of Skittles.)
Can you use other candy with this same method? We think it's very likely that this will work well for most fruity candy generally available (like hard candies or chewy fruit candies). We're not sure how gummy candies would work with this -- but it's definitely worth experimentation.
Vodka
The vodka quality is actually pretty important. We found that using middle-quality vodka created an end-result that tasted a lot like medicine (particularly the cherry flavor). I would suggest trying a better-or-best-quality vodka instead. Several commenters have pointed out that you can try running middle-quality-vodka through a water filter pitcher (such as a Brita) to clean up the flavor a bit -- we haven't tested this but it's worth a try.
We used one 750mL bottle for each flavor of skittle -- five in all. Larger or smaller bottles will result in more or less flavorful vodka for the amount of Skittles given above.
Skittles
You need to end up with 180g of each flavor of Skittle. Since Skittles are approximately 1g each, you can accomplish this with 180 skittles. We used two 450g bags for our experiment -- other bag sizes are perfectly acceptable.
(Of course, if you want to experiment with making the vodka to be more flavorful, you could definitely try more skittles than this. This was what we found as a good flavor level, without using too many bags of Skittles.)
Can you use other candy with this same method? We think it's very likely that this will work well for most fruity candy generally available (like hard candies or chewy fruit candies). We're not sure how gummy candies would work with this -- but it's definitely worth experimentation.
Vodka
The vodka quality is actually pretty important. We found that using middle-quality vodka created an end-result that tasted a lot like medicine (particularly the cherry flavor). I would suggest trying a better-or-best-quality vodka instead. Several commenters have pointed out that you can try running middle-quality-vodka through a water filter pitcher (such as a Brita) to clean up the flavor a bit -- we haven't tested this but it's worth a try.
We used one 750mL bottle for each flavor of skittle -- five in all. Larger or smaller bottles will result in more or less flavorful vodka for the amount of Skittles given above.
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I live in Norway, so the only way I can get them is tax free...
(I know this may sound caveman-ish but) skittles are just sugar-sweets right?
Anyone know of some other candy I can use?
Intend to try this next time:
Initial mixing will be done in an glass icetea jug. The kind with a spigot at the base. This will allow draining while leaving the "scum" at the top.
Secondary filter will be coffee filters or paper towels in a strainer.
Last filter will be cheese clothe.
This concoction tastes awesome!
The last step says the red tasted like cough syrup and that is something I also found to be true, I'd definitely skip the red if it didn't add to the eye appeal of rainbow vodka.
http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/208/233/Drool%20Rainbows%20HD.png
Ingredients and properties
In the United States, a bag of Skittles candy contains: sugar, corn syrup, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, apple juice from concentrate, less than 2% - Dextrin, Gelatin, natural and artificial flavours, Citric Acid, food starch-modified, coloring (includes Yellow 6 lake, Red 40 lake, Yellow 5 lake, Blue 2 lake, Blue 1 lake, Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 1), Ascorbic Acid(Vitamin C).
In Europe, a bag of Skittles candies contains:salt, glucose syrup, fruit juices (5.1%), hydrogenated vegetable fat, citric acid & trisodium citrate, dextrin, maltodextrin, flavorings & colorings (E100, E120, E132, E160e, E171), glazing agent shellac, vegetable oil, ascorbic acid and emulsifier (E475).
The American formula, which includes Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, has resulted in a skittle with an indefinite shelf life but possess a crunch and texture many people find less appealing. Fat content is also significantly higher.
A recent statistical analysis measured the mass of one Skittle to be 1066 ± 8 mg (N = 10, ± s.e.m.), or 0.0376 ± 0.0003 U.S. ounces.
I'm a bit old-school; in the last few years the US palate has been trained to accept "green apple" (yaaaargh) IN PLACE OF LIME! can you imagine?!? Sad, sad state of affairs.
Also, blue has been added into the widely accepted "color/flavor rainbow" as "blue raspberry" (or razzberry.) In protest I've decided to boycott blue food altogether as it seems too, too laboratory made. -I realise that the majority of our food is now lab engineered and tested and I'll be the last one to give up sugar-based nutrition but eating (or drinking) things that are the color of windex ....baaaaarf!
I'm not sure why this happened -- my only guess is that the blue part of the dye broke down faster than the red.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0fZK3m7bDc
I would consider making this if I wouldn't have to spend 205USD on 5 x 700ml bottles of Smirnoff Vodka and about 50USD for ca 1kg of Skittles!
Details can be found here: http://profiles.friendster.com/97474504