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Directions:
Cover the whole allspice with rum.
Let sit for 1-3 weeks in a dark place
You can crush the allspice berries before you add the alcohol which results in a faster infusion, or leave them whole and let them infuse for 2 weeks. I prefer to leave them whole. I test for readiness by smelling the extract. If I get a nice spice scent without a large alcohol smell, it is done! Again, be careful as this will turn bitter quickly. Cutting it with vanilla extract will lessen the bitterness.
Once it is ready, strain out the allspice, and you have allspice extract. I like to do a 50/50 mix of allspice extract and vanilla extract, if the allspice is a strong extract I will mix 40/60 allspice extract to vanilla extract. The shelf life of this extract is around 4 years, but I prefer to use it within the first year for best flavor. If any mold appears or the flavor changes from when you originally made it, I would discard and make a new batch.
How do you use this extract??
This is a really nice additive to recipes with spice already in it such as apple pie, pumpkin pie, or pumpkin bars. I recommend using this in moderation as allspice is a warmer spice and can take over pretty quickly.