Best Brandied Berries And Nectarines Recipes

STONE-FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine fruit, honey, pinch of salt, water, and desired flavor combination (optional). Cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until fruit is soft, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a pint-size jar and let cool.

BRANDIED STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, orange and lemon zest and 3/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the strawberries and brandy; let cool to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours. Ladle the strawberries and syrup into a large jar (or multiple smaller jars) and refrigerate at least 24 hours or up to 2 months.

NECTARINES AND BERRIES IN WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Purée half the raspberries or blackberries by forcing them through a sieve or potato ricer to eliminate seeds.
• Place the wine (with raspberries, use white; with blackberries, red) in a 3-quart saucepan. Stir in the sugar, bring to a slow simmer and add the nectarines and pits. Simmer until the fruit is just tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer the nectarines to a bowl with a slotted spoon, draining well. Discard the pits. Stir berry purée into the pan.
• Bring wine with berry purée to a boil and cook about 15 minutes, until reduced to about 3/4 cup. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and framboise or brandy, if using. Allow to cool 30 minutes. Mix the remaining berries with the nectarines. Pour the sauce over the fruit and refrigerate several hours, or overnight. Serve on its own or over ice cream, garnished with mint.

BERRY NECTARINE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss nectarines with sugar, lemon juice and ginger. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour, stirring once., Drain nectarines, reserving juices. Gradually beat reserved juices into cream cheese. Gently combine nectarines and berries; serve with cream cheese mixture.

FRIENDSHIP BRANDY FRUIT STARTER

Steps:

• TO START: Combine all ingredients in a clean, large glass jar.
• Stir gently with wooden spoon.
• Cover and let stand at room temperature for three weeks, stirring at least twice a week.
• Fruit is fermented when it is translucent.
• CARE AND FEEDING: Stir mixture daily.
• Every two weeks add one cup sugar and one cup of fruit and stir gently. Alternate fruits each time.
• Cover and let stand at room temperature at least three days before using.
• Do not add fruit more often than once every two weeks.
• Do not delay adding fruit for more than one or two days past schedule.
• IMPORTANT: To keep the starter going, retain at least three cups at all times.
• SHARING: Whenever you have more than six cups of fermented fruit, you may divide it into two portions, being sure there are at least three cups in each portion.
• Do this just before you would do a normal feeding.
• Feed each portion.
• Give one portion to a friend (with Care and Feeding directions) and keep one for yourself.
• Search on "friendship fruit" to find recipes that use this.
• There is also a Friendship Sourdough Starter (Recipe #647936) - yum!

BRANDIED CHERRY CLAFOUTI

Steps:

• Mix cherries, brandy, and 1/3 cup white sugar in a bowl; let soak for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.
• Remove cherries from brandy mixture using a slotted spoon and transfer to the prepared pie pan. Pour brandy mixture into a blender; add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, milk, flour, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and allspice to the blender. Pulse mixture until batter is smooth; pour over cherries.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until golden and puffy, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool slightly and dust with confectioners' sugar to serve.