A colorful overnight fruit salad marinated in brandy, brown sugar, and cinnamon with peaches, apples, oranges, strawberries, and kiwi. Gorgeous in a glass bowl for brunch or dessert.
Classic Cafe Royale: hot strong coffee with flambeed brandy and a sugar cube. A dramatic 3-ingredient after-dinner coffee drink with a tableside flame presentation.
Eggnog pie in pecan crust: a silky, no-bake rum-and-brandy custard filling spooned into a toasted pecan crust. The grown-up Christmas pie your holiday table needs.
Mascarpone sandwiched between crispy ginger brandy wafers with caramelized fresh figs and orange sauce. A stunning restaurant-style plated dessert with snap and tuile textures.
Cajun-style crawfish and corn soup built on a flamed brandy shell stock and a medium-brown roux. Rich, spicy, and loaded with sweet corn straight off the cob.
Homemade vanilla cream liqueur blends sweetened condensed milk with brandy, vodka, eggs, and vanilla extract. Five-ingredient Bailey's-style cordial that rests two weeks before serving in coffee or over ice.
Quick chicken curry with brandy, mango chutney, and a creamy sauce made in one skillet. A 30-minute weeknight dinner with bold, complex flavor.
Peppered farmhouse pate with pork shoulder, liver, veal, green peppercorns, and brandy, wrapped in stretched bacon and baked in a water bath. A rustic French-style terrine for entertaining.
Kataifi pastries: shredded phyllo rolls stuffed with walnut, almond, and spice filling, baked golden, and drenched in lemon-cinnamon honey syrup. A Greek-Middle Eastern classic.
Braised kosher-cut short ribs with mirepoix, brandy, and beef stock, finished with arrowroot pan sauce and a topping of julienned onion and turnip. Restaurant-style holiday beef.
Classic French steak au poivre with tri-color peppercorn crust, cognac flambe, and rich cream pan sauce. Restaurant-quality pepper steak in under 30 minutes for an elegant dinner.
Kompot w spirytusie, a traditional Polish 12-fruit compote with dried fruits, fresh apples, cranberries, cherries, and brandy. A Christmas Eve dessert simmered with warm spices.
Brown sugar cookie dough with butter, egg yolk, vanilla, and brandy. A versatile piped or spooned wafer cookie base that bakes thin, crispy, and golden in under 10 minutes.
Quick stir-fried shrimp with garlic, ginger, green onion, and a brandy flambe finish. Butterflied shrimp seared over high heat and ready in under 5 minutes.
Boozy homemade eggnog spiked with a full quart of bourbon and two cups of brandy, enriched with vanilla ice cream and folded with whipped egg whites. The big-batch holiday party punch.
Pork Normande for one with tenderloin braised in apple juice, sliced apples, and onion, finished with brandy and yogurt. A classic French single-serving dinner.
Victorian jewels mini fruitcakes: brandy-soaked candied fruit, raisins, and walnuts baked into tender two-bite cakes. A glossy jelly glaze gives each one its jewel-box shine. Holiday gifting star.
Classic red wine sangria with brandy, triple sec, frozen lemonade, orange juice, and ginger ale for fizz. Mix, chill, and serve for an easy party pitcher.
Spanish bean dish with kidney beans, smoky liquid smoke, dry mustard, strong coffee, and a finishing pour of brandy. The vintage retro casserole that builds layered flavor from pantry odds and ends.
Rum butter sauce simmers a glossy syrup of sugar, lemon juice, butter, brandy, and both light and dark rum into a holiday dessert sauce. Pour warm over mince pie, pound cake, or steamed pudding.
Creamy vegan eggnog blended from silken tofu, vanilla soy milk, brandy, and brown sugar with a pinch of turmeric for that classic golden hue. Ten minutes, no cooking, no eggs. Holiday sipping without the dairy.
Lester's fruitcake is a heirloom holiday loaf: pounds of candied fruits, figs, dates, raisins, pecans, and walnuts bound in spiced molasses batter. Slow-baked, brandy-soaked, aged a month.
Homemade Tia Maria coffee liqueur made with brandy, strong coffee, sugar, and a whole vanilla bean. Just four ingredients and 30 days of patience for a rich, smooth sip.
Provencal chicken slow cooker (crock pot): chicken pieces braised with bacon, shallots, tomato, red wine, and Mediterranean herbs. 8 hours on low for a restaurant-worthy French-Italian-Spanish fusion.
A scrumptious torte made with almonds, rum, brandy and semi-sweet chocolate.
Brandy-flambéed chicken baked with fresh apples, pears, sliced mushrooms, and apple wine until tender and saucy. An elegant fall dinner that comes together in just 35 minutes. Serve over couscous or rice.
Low-fat mushroom gravy made with brandy, sauteed mushrooms, and milk instead of butter or drippings. Rich flavor with a velvety smooth finish.
Iowa chops stuffed with brandy-soaked apricots, pecans, currants, orange zest, and fennel. Seared, baked, and finished with flambeed brandy for a tableside showstopper.
Skinless Cornish hen halves basted with brandy, apple juice, and paprika, served over a cinnamon-scented wild rice pilaf with brandy-soaked raisins. Light, elegant, and feeds eight.
A silky 4-ingredient shrimp pate blended with cream cheese, butter, and a splash of brandy. Ready in 5 minutes flat, this elegant spread is the easiest appetizer you'll ever bring to a party.
Award-winning gingerbread with molasses, brandy, orange juice, and four warm spices: ginger, cinnamon, mace, and nutmeg. A moist, deeply spiced loaf studded with raisins.
Whole duck rubbed with crushed peppercorns, thyme, cloves, and brandy, then slow-roasted until crispy-skinned. A showstopping Chinese-inspired centerpiece.
Homemade chicken-veal sausages seasoned with brandy-flamed garlic, coriander, and cloves. Ground with bacon for richness, then stuffed into casings, formed into patties, or wrapped and poached.
No-cook cheesecake dip with cream cheese, whipping cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, brandy-soaked raisins, and mini chocolate chips. Whips up in 10 minutes. Serve with fresh fruit, graham crackers, or just a spoon.
Triple-spirit eggnog spiked with dark rum, brandy, and bourbon, folded with whipped cream and fluffy egg whites. Topped with fresh nutmeg for the holidays.
Rice pudding with brandy-soaked currants, orange zest, and cinnamon, set with gelatin for a silky chilled dessert. Low-fat, make-ahead, and lightly boozy.
A fruity tropical drink made with Jamaican rum, brandy, sweet sherry and guava jam.
This easy version of the classic pepper sauce clearly illustrates why some old-time combinations just cannot be improved upon. Serve this with beef or game, especially pheasant.
Sweet potato pie with warm brandy, fresh lemon zest, and a sprinkle of chopped citron over the top. The brandy-citrus brightness lifts the spiced filling into something more sophisticated than typical sweet potato pie.
Italian cheesecake blends silky mascarpone with creamy ricotta, brandy, and vanilla, then bakes into two graham cracker pies with a tender, lightly set filling. A no-water-bath cheesecake with old-country flavor and zero fuss.
Brandy-laced bundt pound cake served with a saffron-tinted lemon curd. The classic 1-1-1 pound cake gets a boozy lift, while saffron steeped in lemon juice turns the cream sunset gold.
Silky chicken liver pate with brandy, mushrooms, shallots, and fresh herbs. A quick, elegant appetizer that's ready to chill in under 30 minutes.
French cherry clafouti with brandy-macerated cherries baked in a puffy, golden custard scented with allspice and lemon zest. Rustic elegance that looks far harder than it is.
Kotopoulo Giouvetsi is a Greek one-pan roasted chicken with orzo baked in tomatoes, brandy, bell peppers, and cumin. The orzo cooks in the pan juices for deep flavor.
Rio Grande-style biscocitos with butter, anise seed, and brandy, dusted in cinnamon sugar before baking. Crisp, fragrant, and easy to cut into festive shapes. Makes 3 dozen.
Eggnog chiffon pie, an airy brandy-spiked custard set with gelatin and lightened with whipped egg whites, dusted with fresh nutmeg in a flaky homemade crust. A Christmas dessert worth the fuss.
Marinated venison roast soaked overnight in spiced vinegar and brandy, larded with salt pork and slow-roasted until tender. Finished with a glossy currant jelly pan gravy. A classic hunter's table centerpiece.
Traditional British Christmas plum pudding with cognac-soaked dried fruit, walnuts, suet, and warm spices, steamed in a mold and served with brandy butter sauce. A Victorian holiday classic.