I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! My husband and I were responsible for dessert this year, and one of my contributions was a pear, apple and cranberry crisp. I love those flavors and how they come together. It made me realize that I need to share a similar flavor that I have been infusing for the holidays. If you start now, this will be enjoyed before the holidays are over.
Pear & Cranberry Liqueur
1 3/4 c. Sliced Pears (we used Bartlett, but really any would work well)
1/4 c. Dried cranberries
1/2 TB chopped, peeled ginger
1 whole clove
Small piece of a cinnamon stick (less than 1 gram)
3/4 c. Brandy
1 1/2 c. Vodka
Combine all ingredients into a quart jar, and allow to infuse for about 3 weeks or until it reaches your desired taste. (I think it will continue to add a bit more flavor, so I have not strained ours yet.) Strain and filter through a jelly bag or cheesecloth, and then coffee filters.
The pear and cranberry flavors come out well in this liqueur. The combination of brandy and sweetened dried cranberries make this sweet enough to drink without being too sweet. I wanted a hint of spices, but did not want them to overwhelm the fruits, and this is achieved here. If you like lots of spice, you could add a bit more. Keep in mind that a bit of clove and cinnamon go a long way in infusions.
Cheers!
Related Posts:
Holiday Fun Time ! – Holiday Infusions and Holiday Inspired Liqueurs
Boozed + Infused 
November 25, 2012 at 11:43 am
That looks awesome…must try! 🙂
November 26, 2012 at 7:55 pm
Thank you! You will not be disappointed!
November 25, 2012 at 3:02 pm
This sounds fantastic! I love a good seasonal cocktail.
November 26, 2012 at 7:55 pm
Thanks, I think this time of year is particularly fun to drink seasonal and festive cocktails!
November 25, 2012 at 3:37 pm
That looks and sounds wonderful! I’m like you – I love pear, apple, and cranberry as well………..in a cocktail (that is very pretty too) it’s a huge temptation!
November 26, 2012 at 7:54 pm
Kelli, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! If you like those flavors together, you should try this infusion. You should also try this dessert: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pear-apple-and-cranberry-crisp-recipe/index.html
November 27, 2012 at 1:56 am
I will! Thanks for the suggestions!
November 25, 2012 at 4:49 pm
This sounds good. I’ve only done fresh cranberry infusions– the dried is intriguing.
November 26, 2012 at 7:52 pm
The fresh cranberries are very different than dried. Since the dried cranberries are sweetened, they do not have much of the tart and tangy flavor of fresh cranberries. So it really depends on what kind of flavor you are looking for. They are both delicious, just different. This flavor combination is tasty, you should try it!
November 25, 2012 at 9:19 pm
Yum! Definitely making this!
Also -totally off topic- I tried a mint-infused bourbon and while it tasted pretty good (got impatient and didn’t leave long enough + maybe mint wasn’t as very fresh as it could be) it didn’t smell very good. Did you find a similar situation?
November 26, 2012 at 7:50 pm
Hi Jennifer, I hope you do make this! It is delicious!
I’m not sure what happened with your bourbon. I made mint bourbon and I did not notice anything funny about the scent. As far as I remember, it just smelled like bourbon and mint. What kind of mint did you use?
November 26, 2012 at 3:07 am
I haven’t thought about combining pear and cranberries …. but after seeing these photos….. I’m on-board!
November 26, 2012 at 7:48 pm
The flavors really do go well together. The dried cranberries are so much sweeter than fresh, and I think that goes better with the pear flavor.
November 26, 2012 at 7:29 am
This sounds divine!
November 26, 2012 at 7:47 pm
Thanks! I think you would like it!
November 26, 2012 at 5:59 pm
This looks delicious!! You have great recipes, and I love that you hold to seasonal ingredients!
November 26, 2012 at 7:58 pm
Thanks! It is fun to have the seasons dictate what you drink! (although I do have lots of infusions from previous seasons in my liquor cabinet, and it is also fun to drink summer flavors in the middle of the winter!) cheers~
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November 28, 2012 at 11:49 am
I would really like to try your recipe, it is right up my alley. However, the subject of Brandy is always a worry of mine as I don’t know much about it. Do you recommend any brand?
November 28, 2012 at 9:04 pm
Hi Anna, Thanks for your message. If you will just be using the brandy for infusing, then I recommend getting a mid-level brandy. I think Korbel works great, but you can certainly use anything in your price range. Depending on the liquor store you go to, the person working there may be able to help guide you to a decent one. Don’t feel like you need to spend a lot of money on the alcohol you infuse with. The good stuff can be kept for drinking on its own, or other cocktails.
I hope that helps! Feel free to let me know if you have more questions… Cheers~
December 2, 2012 at 7:57 am
This recipe is so cool! I am intrigued by how you’ve kept it simple, but spiced just a little complexity into it. I take my hat off to you. This may have made the “must make” list for me.
December 2, 2012 at 8:14 pm
Thanks Jack! Gosh, your comments are always so nice! When I first started infusing, I did not realize how potent spices could be. Over time, I have learned that they can overpower if you don’t try to compensate somehow. When I’m cooking and canning foods, I often alter recipes so that they have just a hint of spice, so that is what I was trying to accomplish in this liqueur. And I’m glad you approve! Cheers~
December 5, 2012 at 9:02 pm
About all I drink is an occasional glass of wine, but the pear and cranberry combination sounds great!
December 5, 2012 at 9:42 pm
Thanks Nancy, cheers!
December 7, 2012 at 2:29 am
Looks wonderful, a great combination of flavours.
December 9, 2012 at 10:32 am
Thanks, it is very delicious! Cheers!
December 20, 2012 at 3:34 am
This sounds delicious! I am eyeing my Christmas box of those Harry and David pears, which I usually scoop out of their peels… Do you think a pear peel/pit infusion would still be good if I can’t stop myself from eating the middles? I may try it and report back – I found some super cheap vodka so I have nothing to lose, haha. How did you decide to do the mix of vodka and brandy?
December 21, 2012 at 8:52 am
Hi Miya, I think you could totally try to infuse with the peels and cores of your pears. As long as you have enough of the peels and cores, you should be fine. The flavor may be a bit different, but still good. As for the combination of brandy and vodka, I had seen some fruit liqueur recipes caling for a mixture of the two and started making a number of them myself. I really like the sweetness that the brandy brings, and the vodka helps ensure that it is a bit cleaner, and crisper (not too sweet or overpowering). Somehow it is just a really good combination!
January 13, 2013 at 5:19 pm
I did it! I used Burnett’s vodka (from trader joes…) and E&J VSOP brandy which was the second cheapest at the liquor store. I’m playing with single flavor notes right now so I did nothing but pears, just the peels and cores from most of the Harry and David box (a dozen?) It isn’t overwhelmingly pear-y but it has a nice pear flavor, it’s pleasant to sip and I can’t wait to mix it with other things… Like maybe the allspice dram using your recipe that is sitting in my cupboard… Thanks for all the inspiration!
P.S. makes me feel all thrifty even though I had to go out and buy the booze, haha! Just like my peachy simple syrup.
January 20, 2013 at 8:44 am
Awesome! I love that you were so thrifty. And I just read your peach and sage jam recipe, and that sounds fantastic!
June 3, 2013 at 5:27 am
Good morning, I created this wonderful liqueur. amazing aromas, ingredients blend together extremely. But we do not need a little sugar; the Constitution does not mention. if so, how much sugar to add; Thank you.
November 10, 2013 at 2:51 pm
I am going to give this a try with Concord Pears. They are my new fav. =). I like the fact that this recipe doesn’t have any sugar. I have alreay started other infusions and they all sweetened.
November 17, 2013 at 6:53 pm
thanks Angelique! I hope you like this one. There are plenty of infusions you can make without sweeteners. Cheers~
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