12 brandy recipes

Broiled until popped, then macerated in sugar and brandy. Works as a cranberry sauce with a bit of kick for meats and also as a topping for pancakes or waffles.

Brandied chocolate truffles made with bittersweet ganache, Cognac, and a hand-dipped chocolate shell. A classic French confection that holds beautifully in the fridge for up to a week.

Homemade plum brandy infused with fresh plums and sugar in gin. A 3-ingredient fruit liqueur that steeps for 3-4 days and strains into a smooth, sweet sipper.

Brandied raspberry sauce made with frozen raspberries, sugar, and cornstarch thickened with brandy. A quick dessert topping for cheesecake, ice cream, or pound cake.

Brandy-soaked apples baked into a moist sheet cake with walnuts, raisins, and warm spices. Simple mixing, no mixer needed.

Apricot brandy-soaked fruit and warm spices transform this quick bread into a moist, fragrant loaf that's more holiday fruitcake than everyday bread.

Spiced apple butter spiked with brandy, honey, and cinnamon for canning into shelf-stable jars perfect for gift-giving or slathering on toast.

Jewel-toned apple rings preserved in a brandy-spiked sugar syrup and water bath canned for year-round enjoyment. A stunning edible gift or garnish that captures fall in a jar.

Easier to work with. The original recipe called for brandy or grape juice, but I found that if you substitute the orange juice concentrate, it has a nicer flavour.

Velvety peach butter simmered with brandy, lemon, and fresh spearmint then canned for year-round spreading. A sophisticated twist on a Southern pantry classic that makes a stunning homemade gift.

No-bake frozen chocolate torte with 11 ounces of melted chocolate, brandy, broken biscuits, and toasted whole hazelnuts. Rich, dense, and served straight from the freezer like an Italian semifreddo.

Big-batch Texas-style chili with 5 lbs of rough-ground beef and pork simmered in beer, sour mash whiskey, jalapenos, and a heavy hand of cumin. No beans. No compromise. Pure cowboy heat.