Raise up your glasses and bite into a delectable treat because today we're celebrating Brandied Fruit Day. This is the day we celebrate sweet tasting fruits, marinated and soaked in brandy.

Classic Brandied Fruit Recipe

While nobody knows for sure how this occasion started, soaking fruits in brandy have been used to preserve the taste of fruits without the cumber of canning.

To make your own brandied fruit, you will need:

  • 9 cups of fruits of choice (whole strawberries, raspberries, fresh currants; pitted cherries; seedless or seeded grapes; peeled and pitted sliced or diced peaches, apricots, nectarines and plums)

  • 5 cups firmly packed brown sugar

  • 5 cups granulated sugar

  • 4 cups brandy (add more as necessary)

To prepare, combine fruits and sugars in a large bowl. Then cover and let it macerate for about an hour, making sure to toss the mixture every 15 minutes. After which, divide the fruit among eight sterilised pint jars. Pour in brandy until fruit is submerged. Cover and store in a cool place for at least a month to let the flavours develop. The longer the fruit is allowed to age, the better.

Brandied Fruit Serving Ideas

Brandied fruits are classically enjoyed over ice cream with a dollop of cream or on top a scrumptious slice of pie or pound cake. However, of course, there are other creative ways to enjoy this delectable treat.

  • Sauté the fruits briefly with butter and their syrup. Use this as filling and topping for crepes with whipped cream.

  • Sauté the fruits with butter, onion, chopped apples and marjoram and use this as filling for roasted duck or goose. Use the syrup from fruits in the gravy. (Get complete recipe from Jennifer McGavin via About.com)

  • Line a tart pan with sweet tart dough and use the diced fruit as filling.

  • In a well-buttered cake pan, sprinkle brown sugar and layer slices of preserved fruit. Cover with a butter cake batter and bake until done. Turn upside down and serve with cream whipped with the fruit liqueur.

  • Puree fruits and gently fold into whipped cream. Chill and serve.

  • Add a little kick to your breakfast by mixing the diced fruit to your yogurt or favorite breakfast muffin batter. Note that the most of the alcohol will evaporate when you bake it.

  • Serve whole brandied cherries in a pretty bowl with biscotti or dark chocolates on the side.

  • Preserve whole cherries in bourbon instead of brandy and use them in a Manhattan cocktail instead of maraschino cherries.

  • Place a slice of fruit and a little of its liqueur in a flute and top with champagne or sparkling wine.