32 cherry brandy recipes

This very rich cake from the West Indies is ideal for those who prefer not to ice their Christmas cakes.

Brandy-fermented friendship cake made with a homemade fruit starter of pineapple, peaches, and maraschino cherries. A beloved sharing tradition where each batch creates starters for friends.

Cherry clafoutis with homemade cherry ice cream and almond praline. A three-component Swiss-French dessert with kirsch-spiked custard flan, fresh cherry fruit, and caramelized crunch.

Fresh berry tarts: a pair of giant 10x15 inch sheet tarts with vanilla cream over sweet pie crust, one tart piled with glazed cherries, the other with glossy blueberries.

Montmorency cake, a French flourless-style chocolate cake stuffed with kirsch-soaked sour cherries and glazed in dark chocolate. A Black Forest-inspired showpiece for special occasions.

A classic French pear and frangipane tart: vanilla-poached pears arranged over almond pastry cream spiked with kirsch and crushed macaroons, finished with apricot glaze and pistachios.

Handmade chocolate-covered cherries soaked overnight in kirsch brandy, then wrapped in a rich truffle mixture of milk and unsweetened chocolate. Rolled in a cocoa-powdered sugar coating for an elegant homemade confection.

Friendship fruit starter ferments pineapple, peaches, apricots, and cherries in brandy and sugar for three weeks. A boozy heirloom base for cakes, ice cream, or gifting.

French pear tart with almond frangipane, kirsch-soaked apricot glaze, and vanilla-poached pears. Crushed macaroons fold into the pastry cream for chewy depth, finished with green pistachios.

Handmade chocolate truffles with brandy-soaked cherry centers, rolled in cocoa and powdered sugar. Dense, rich, and intensely chocolatey. Makes 50 pieces for gifting or holiday candy trays.

Cherry cordial chocolate balls made with kirsch-soaked candied cherries wrapped in a buttery milk and dark chocolate shell, rolled in cocoa and powdered sugar. A luxurious homemade candy.

Fruitcake cookies packed with candied pineapple, cherries, golden raisins, and toasted pecans, spiked with brandy and warm spices. All the holiday flavor, none of the doorstop.

Amish friendship cake with brandy-soaked fruit starter, warm spices, and pecans in a bundt pan. A share-with-friends chain recipe where the fermented fruit starter grows and gets passed along.

Linda's fruitcake: brandy-soaked dates, citrus peel, raisins, almonds, and cherries folded into a spiced batter with a pineapple jam layer. Wrapped in brandy-soaked cheesecloth to age.

Classic Alsatian apple charlotte with milk-soaked bread, cinnamon-spiced apples, chopped almonds, and a splash of kirsch. Baked in a bundt pan until golden, this rustic French dessert is pure comfort.

A show-stopping rhubarb tart in an almond pastry shell, served with fresh strawberry-kirsch sauce and homemade cinnamon ice cream. Three components, one unforgettable spring dessert.