Melomakarona are Greek honey-soaked cookies with orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, and brandy. Baked until golden, dipped in hot honey syrup, and topped with chopped nuts.
Unique apple pie with corn syrup custard and crunchy praline pecan topping spiked with apple brandy for sweet-rich Southern-style dessert.
This rich and moist cake made of candied cherries, pecans and coconut is bound to have you thinking about seconds.
Silky duck liver mousse enriched with brandy, hazelnut liqueur, and a hint of nutmeg. Baked in a water bath until set, then spread on toasted French bread for an indulgent first course.
Pate maison: a French country pate of coarsely ground pork, chicken livers, peach brandy, whole peppercorns, and truffles, baked in a fat-lined terrine and chilled overnight.
Spanish-inspired shrimp baked in a brandy and white wine tomato sauce with thyme, chili flakes, and a golden Parmesan crust. A stunning make-ahead gratin that's ready when your guests arrive.
Velvety brandy sauce made in 5 minutes with butter, powdered sugar, and brandy extract. Drizzle over bread pudding, holiday cakes, or warm fruit desserts for an instant upgrade.
Chicken breasts stuffed with Swiss and ricotta cheese, pan-seared in butter, and served over fettuccine with a brandy-tomato pan sauce. Elegant enough for date night, ready in under an hour.
Friendship cake starter made with pineapple, cherries, and peaches layered with sugar and brandy over six weeks. A fermented fruit base for holiday fruitcakes.
Bourbon eggnog pie: chiffon-style holiday dessert with custard spiked with bourbon and brandy, lifted with whipped egg whites and folded with whipped cream. Topped with more whipped cream and grated nutmeg.
An Italian chocolate hazelnut cake from Turin with homemade gianduja paste, whipped chocolate cream filling, apricot jam, and a brandy-liqueur soak. A show-stopping patisserie-level dessert.
Braised beef round steak seared and oven-simmered in brandy, dual mustards, juniper berries, shallots, and sun-dried tomatoes. A French-inspired dinner that slices tender and sauces itself.
Miniature fruitcake jewels are tiny muffin-tin fruitcakes loaded with candied fruit, red and green cherries, golden raisins, dates, and pecans, finished with a brandy glaze. Holiday gifting classic.
Luxurious steak Diane with creamy mushroom sauce and tender pan-seared beef. Restaurant-quality classic ready in 20 minutes for impressive date night dinners.
Smoky puréed black bean soup loaded with cumin, coriander, chili, and eight cloves of garlic. Finished with brandy and topped with Parmesan and fresh cilantro.
Bien Me Sabe! Layers of brandy-soaked ladyfingers, lush coconut cream filling, and golden meringue make this classic Venezuelan dessert impossible to resist. Chills overnight for the easiest showstopper.
Simple tiramisu with sponge cake soaked in coffee and brandy, layered with sweetened mascarpone or cream cheese, dusted with cocoa. No-bake Italian dessert for 6.
Rich spiced cake with cookie-crisp edges and a moist, chewy center loaded with apples, nuts, and brandy. Stiff dough bakes into bars with crunchy tops and brownie-soft middles.
Pounded chicken breasts seared fast over high heat, then drizzled with a brandy, Dijon mustard, and lime pan sauce loaded with fresh chives. A 20-minute dinner with serious steakhouse energy.
Baked pumpkin empanadas with a brandy-laced pastry dough and spiced pumpkin-brown sugar filling, finished with cinnamon sugar. A Mexican-Californian fall dessert pastry.
Elegant crawfish mousse with cream cheese, sour cream, brandy, and Tabasco set in a decorative mold. A make-ahead Cajun party appetizer that unmolds into a stunning centerpiece.
Cherry and almond Christmas cake: maraschino cherries, apricots, ginger, and almonds macerated in amaretto and brandy, baked into a lighter apple-puree batter, then soaked in more amaretto. A boozy, fruit-packed festive cake that keeps for a month.
Add sophistication to a home-cooked meal with this dish that can even have a famous French Restaurant saying "Oui, oui!".
Poached eggs and sautéed crabmeat layered in ramekins and blanketed with a flamed brandy cream sauce. An elegant brunch main with cayenne heat and a dusting of paprika.
Classic French chicken liver pate with cognac, cream, butter, and fine spices. Marinated in cream overnight, blanched four times, then processed silky smooth.
This delicious dish is made with dried fruit, sweet cherries, juicy apples and seedless grapes.
Old-fashioned mincemeat pie with ground caribou, apple cider, raisins, currants, and warm spices, spiked with brandy. A lattice-topped holiday classic with a wild game twist.
Authentic Victorian mincemeat with boiled calf's tongue, suet, dried fruit, candied citrus peel, brandy, and whiskey. Cures in a crock for 7 weeks before becoming Christmas pie filling. Yields 96 servings.
Whole wheat Christmas fruit cake with grated carrot, raisins, almonds, hazelnuts, and warm spices, lightly sweetened and finished with a brandy soak. A wholesome, nutty take on the classic holiday cake.
Rich shrimp bisque built from sautéed shells, fish stock, brandy, paprika, heavy cream, and dry sherry. A classic French technique that extracts every ounce of shrimp flavor.
Apple molasses pecan pie marries two Thanksgiving classics into one. Sliced apples and toasted pecans bound in a brandy-spiked molasses filling, finished with a buttery lattice crust.
Le Montrachet lobster bisque: classic French restaurant-style bisque made from real lobster shells, white wine, brandy, sherry, and heavy cream. The kind of soup that earns its place at a fine-dining table.
Chocolate, cream cheese, coconut, sour cream and brandy make this delicious cheesecake.
Classic lobster Newburg with whole boiled lobsters in a rich sherry, brandy, and cream sauce thickened with egg yolks. Served over toast points.
Tender rabbit browned in butter and olive oil, braised in a generous splash of brandy with clove-studded onions and bouquet garni, then finished in a silky cream and mustard sauce.
Light fruitcake is the pale, buttery holiday classic: candied pineapple, cherries and citron with golden raisins, pecans and walnuts, brightened with lemon and vanilla, then brandy-soaked and aged for weeks.
A delicious Christmas bread made with almonds, cream cheese, golden raisins and brandy.
Authentic Italian tiramisu with cooked zabaglione, mascarpone, and brandy-coffee soaked ladyfingers in two layers. Topped with whipped cream, cocoa, and grated chocolate. The traditional method, no shortcuts.
Eggnog mousse with rum, brandy, nutmeg, and whipped cream set with gelatin. A light, airy holiday dessert topped with crushed peppermint candies that tastes like eggnog in cloud form.
French Normandy-style veal cutlets browned in butter and simmered with brandy, shallots, tart apple slices, and a creamy mushroom sauce. A cozy 30-minute dinner served over wild rice.
Olive Garden-style tiramisu with sponge cake layered with coffee-brandy soak, sweetened mascarpone or cream cheese, and dusted with cocoa powder. A no-bake copycat dessert.
Traditional Jewish chopped liver made with chicken livers, schmaltz, caramelized onions, hard-boiled eggs, and a splash of brandy. A classic deli appetizer.
Add a kick to your Christmas party with this drink which is sure to keep everyone in the holiday spirit.
Pumpkin empanadas fold brandy-tender pastry around cinnamon-spiced pumpkin filling, bake golden, and get dusted with cinnamon sugar. Mexican Thanksgiving and fall dessert hand pie.
Victorian jewels, glistening mini fruitcakes: brandy-soaked candied fruit and raisins in a spiced walnut batter, baked as bite-size muffins and glazed with melted jelly so they shine. A jewel-like holiday gift.
Traditional fruitcake studded with dates, figs, candied citron, pecans, and brandy-soaked fruits becomes a family heirloom recipe worth making.
Pork stew braised with prunes, dried apricots, brandy, cumin, and allspice. A Moroccan-inspired meat and fruit stew with warm spices served over noodles.
A rich baked cheesecake with fresh strawberries folded right into the cream cheese filling, set on a buttery graham cracker crust and topped with amaretto-soaked berries. Worth every minute of the wait.