Apricot brandy and cherry cordial
Nov 23rd, 2008 by Amy
In an effort to reduce the crazy consumerism around the holidays, a few years back our family decided to do homemade gifts for each other instead of buying everyone a gift. It has made the holidays a lot more special for all of us not to mention leaving our bank accounts in better shape come January. Last year I made pear brandy and Matt mixed a holiday CD.
This year I decided to make a few different fruit liqueurs including strawberry sherry, apricot brandy, and cherry cordial all made from local fruit. (Sorry family, no surprises on Christmas morning…) I bottled the strawberry sherry about a month ago, but decided it was time to bottle up the apricot brandy and cherry cordial this weekend.
Fruit liqueurs are ridiculously easy to make and they make a wonderful after dinner drink. I bought a few 4-5 quart clamp-top jars to make the liqueurs and a couple dozen 8 oz decorative clamp-top jars to bottle the finished products from Down to Earth. It’s a shame that they need to be stored in a dark place while they are processing because they are really beautiful to look at. I adapted both recipes from Blue Ribbon Preserves by Linda J. Amendt.
Apricot Brandy, Adapted from Blue Ribbon Preserves
Fills a 4 quart mason jar
Apricots halved and pitted (enough to fill half of the large jar)
6 cups Riesling (I used Sweet Cheeks Dry Riesling)
2 cups brandy (I used E & J XO Brandy, although there are more local options like the brandy from Clear Creek Distillery)
About 2 cups sugar (the recipe calls for 4 cups which I think is too much)
Make the brandy:
Place the apricots in the mason jar. Be sure the mason jar is very clean.
Heat the wine and brandy over low heat until warm. Add the sugar and stir until it is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and cool.
Pour the cooled wine, brandy, sugar mixture over the apricots. If you are using a screw top jar, cover the jar opening with 2 layers of plastic wrap, followed by a lid, and the screw ring. I used a clamp-top lid and didn’t bother with the plastic wrap. The food safety authorities will be after me, no doubt.
Place the jar in a paper bag and set it in a cool, dry, dark location for 6 weeks. Occasionally, give the jar a swirl to mix the ingredients.
Bottle the apricot brandy:
Wash decorative liqueur bottles in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Turn the bottles upside down to dry.
Place a fine-meshed sieve over a clean bowl and strain the cordial. Do yourself a favor and use a bowl that has a pour spout. Save the apricot halves. Well first, try one or two or five - they are delicious. Then put them in the food processor to puree and put in the freezer for bellini-like cocktails.
Rinse the sieve and line it with 3 layers of clean, damp cheesecloth. Strain the brandy through the cheesecloth. Again, be sure to use bowls with pour spouts to avoid sticky messes all over the counter.
Lastly, line the sieve with a paper coffee filter and strain the brandy one last time. I use a manual drip coffee maker with the coffee filter instead, but either works. Be prepared to change the coffee filter frequently because it gets clogged with micro particles.
Cook’s notes:
Although you may be tempted to some of the filter steps, avoid the temptation. The multiple filter steps are important because they remove particles from the liqueur that tend to settle over time and create a less than beautiful presentation in the bottle. You will also notice the word “clean” throughout the recipe. It is important that you use clean bowls, jars, etc. Food residue, dust, etc. left in the bowls or jars could cause your liqueurs to become cloudy or develop an undesired taste.
Cherry Cordial, Adapted from Blue Ribbon Preserves
Fills a 4 quart mason jar
Cherries, pitted (enough to fill one third of the mason jar)
6 cups Riesling (I used Sweet Cheeks Dry Riesling)
2 cups brandy (I used E & J XO Brandy, although there are more local options like the brandy from Clear Creek Distillery)
1-1/2 to 2 cups sugar (the recipe calls for 4 cups which I think is too much)
Follow instructions above for Apricot Brandy.
Save the strained cherries for cocktails. Freeze them on a parchment paper lined baking pan. After frozen, put in a plastic freezer bag until you’re ready to use them.
