Recipes with brandy

Tiramisu from scratch: Italian sponge soaked in espresso-brandy syrup, layered with a silky Marsala zabaglione mascarpone cream, and dusted with cinnamon and coffee. A refined take on the classic.

Savory crepe flavorings with brandy, fresh herbs, and lemon zest stirred into melted butter. A simple mix-in guide that turns basic crepe batter into restaurant-worthy main course wraps.

Homemade ravioli filled with seasoned chicken, sage, mace, and Parmesan, topped with a quick tomato basil sauce. An Italian classic with a lighter white meat filling and a splash of brandy for depth.

Nana Moon's traditional Christmas pudding: brandy-soaked dried fruit, suet and breadcrumbs steamed for hours into a dark, rich pudding, flamed with brandy and served with brandy butter.

Portuguese garlic chicken slow-cooked with port wine, brandy, ham, golden raisins, and six cloves of garlic, then broiled golden. A rich slow cooker showpiece.

Tender butter cookies studded with chopped fresh strawberries and scented with nutmeg and brandy, dusted in powdered sugar. Little jewel-like bites that melt on the tongue.

Greek oil cake (gliko tapsiou me ladi) is a dairy-free, egg-free spice cake made with olive oil, orange juice, walnuts, and raisins. Naturally vegan and Lenten-friendly.

Greek semolina cake with almonds soaked in cinnamon-orange syrup, scored into diamonds. Traditional Mediterranean dessert.

If you want to enjoy a great light drink after Christmas dinner, try this creamy eggnog that will even have Grandma singing Christmas carols.

Brandy-soaked apple fritters in a light, airy batter with cinnamon and ginger, deep-fried golden and dusted with powdered sugar. Served warm with chilled whipped cream.

Stuffed French toast with crumbled tofu, brandy-soaked raisins, currants, and candied peel. Pan-fried golden in butter. A showstopping weekend brunch that freezes beautifully.

Steakhouse pan-broiled steak done right in a cast iron skillet, salted ahead and seared in its own beef fat for a deep crust, then finished with a quick red wine and brandy pan sauce mounted with butter.

Caramelized onion and basil pasta with five pounds of sweet onions slow-cooked into a golden, jammy sauce deglazed with brandy. Tossed with fresh basil and Parmesan. Simple and stunning.

Calves liver seared in bacon drippings and topped with soft onions, raisins, brandy, and a splash of cider vinegar. A 30-minute spin on a classic that even liver skeptics might love.

Pork tenderloin marinated in brandy, seared golden, then simmered in a rich apricot cream sauce and sliced over rice. Sweet dried apricots and a pour of heavy cream make this an easy but elegant dinner.

Crisp, lacy brandy wafers spiced with ginger and rolled into elegant tubes while still warm. Golden syrup gives them a buttery toffee crunch that shatters with every bite.

Jumbo shrimp marinated in brandy, garlic, and lemon then skewered with bok choy and broiled until charred and succulent. A show-stopping appetizer or light dinner ready in under an hour.

Creamy garlic soup with shiitake mushrooms, slow-cooked with brandy and thyme. A restaurant-style cream soup with deep umami and mellow, sweetened garlic flavor.

A frozen Brandy Alexander cocktail blended with vanilla ice cream, creme de cacao, and a dash of nutmeg. This creamy, boozy milkshake is ready in 10 minutes flat.

Fresh morels braised in butter with shallots, garlic, sherry, and brandy, finished in heavy cream and tossed with pasta. A luxurious wild mushroom dish that freezes beautifully.

Gateau St. Honore with a puff pastry base, caramel-dipped cream puffs, brandy-raisin chocolate mousse filling, and piped whipped cream in alternating chocolate and vanilla stripes. A showstopping French patisserie centerpiece.

Holiday mincemeat with chopped beef, suet, apples, sour cherries, dried fruit, and broken nuts simmered slowly with brandy and warming spices. A massive 48-serving batch for Christmas baking and gift-giving.

Chocolate fruitcake: cocoa-cream cheese batter studded with candied cherries, golden raisins, pecans and a hint of brandy and rum. The fruitcake for people who don't think they like fruitcake.

Classic claret cup punch made with red wine, brandy, curacao, frozen lemonade, and grapefruit soda. A refreshing, citrusy wine cocktail for summer parties and gatherings.

Chocolate tiramisu layers espresso-soaked ladyfingers with mascarpone cream spiked with Marsala, Triple Sec, and brandy, then folds in bittersweet chocolate between every layer. A grown-up Italian no-bake dessert that chills in just one hour.

Beef and pork tenderloin party sandwiches on rye with port-brandy marinade, served with endive and horseradish sauce. Cocktail party classic that feeds a crowd with elegant sliced tenderloin.

Creole shrimp and crawfish pasta in a brandy cream sauce with orange zest, tarragon, and a splash of Louisiana chicory coffee. A rich, romantic dinner for two in 30 minutes.

Bruce's favorite French onion soup simmers Spanish onions in a beef and chicken bouillon broth with garlic, brandy, and Worcestershire, then bakes under a blanket of croutons and melted cheese. A bistro classic.

Beef tenderloin slit lengthwise, packed with a savory mushroom and ham bread stuffing, then broiled and served with a brandied tomato gravy. The retro dinner-party showpiece that turns one tenderloin into a memorable plated entree.

Watermelon punch combines fresh watermelon balls and juice with brandy, simple syrup, and lemon-lime soda, served in a hollowed-out watermelon shell. A showstopping summer party drink for backyard crowds.

Broiled chicken over fettuccine in a brandy cream sauce with fresh and sundried tomatoes, jalapenos, and basil. A spicy, restaurant-style dinner for two.

Green tomato mincemeat made from scratch with suet, apples, raisins, citron, and warm spices. A traditional preserve for holiday pies, sealed with a splash of brandy.

Citrus Summer Hummer blended cocktail with brandy, lemon ice cream, and orange sherbet. A 3-ingredient frozen boozy milkshake that takes just 2 minutes to make.

Brandy peaches parfait with frozen and fresh peaches soaked overnight in brandy and bitters, mixed with orange sherbet and frozen into a boozy, fruity frozen dessert.

Silky apricot cheese dip with cream cheese, sour cream, apricot preserves, brandy, and almonds. A sweet, creamy no-cook dip for vanilla wafers and pound cake cubes.

Blended brandy and creme de menthe cocktail with vanilla ice cream. The Applegate Island Hummer is a creamy, minty after-dinner drink ready in 2 minutes.

Tiramisu built from a cooked egg yolk and mascarpone zabaglione folded with whipped cream, layered with brandy-coffee-soaked ladyfingers, and chilled overnight. The classic Italian dessert, fully cooked for safety.

Lighter tiramisu made with cooked egg whites, mascarpone, reduced-fat cream cheese, brandy, and espresso-soaked ladyfingers. No raw eggs, layered in a trifle bowl, and chilled overnight.

Fruited cheesecake: a creamy ricotta cheesecake on a vanilla wafer crust, crowned with fresh fruit arranged in concentric circles and glazed with currant jelly. A bakery-style summer dessert for eight.

Chicken liver pate with brandy, butter, and onion blended silky smooth. Six ingredients, 15 minutes active time, chilled overnight for the best flavor.

Microwave steak au poivre with cracked peppercorns and a quick brandy pan sauce, made in a microwave browning dish. Bistro-style French peppercorn steak in 5 minutes flat.

Oat creme is a dairy-free dessert sauce made from rolled oats simmered in apple juice with tahini, vanilla, and brandy, pureed until smooth. A vegan custard alternative for pouring over baked apples.

Elegant fruit soup with apricot nectar, brandy, honey, and warm allspice. Serve hot or chilled with fresh peaches, papayas, or cherries for brunch or dessert.

Low-calorie eggnog made with skim milk, beaten egg whites, and sugar-free sweetener. All the creamy holiday flavor without the guilt.

Seared filet mignon steaks served on a crispy layered potato cake with a brandy, mushroom, sour cream, and green olive sauce. A French-inspired steakhouse dinner at home.

Olive oil marinated mushrooms simmer button mushrooms in herbed wine vinegar with thyme, garlic, and brandy. A make-ahead antipasto that gets better after a night in the fridge.

Chicken and cherries jubilee braises whole chickens in cherry juice and chili sauce for 6 to 8 hours, finished with a sherry-brandy flambé cherry sauce. Retro slow-cooker showstopper.

Penette in padella toasts dry pasta in olive oil, flambes with brandy, then cooks risotto-style in vegetable stock with dried mushroom cream. A one-pan Italian technique that builds deep, nutty pasta flavor.