Boozy Fruit Recipes

BOOZY FRUIT

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring occasionally, until port just starts to turn syrupy, 8 to 10 minutes. (Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.) Let cool completely. Remove cinnamon stick and serve, or store, covered, in refrigerator up to 1 week.

BAKED BRIE WITH BOOZY FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast pecans on a baking sheet until darkened slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Grind in a food processor.
• Increase heat to 400 degrees. Unfold pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle pecans evenly over half of pastry; fold over other half and pinch edges to seal. Cut pastry in half crosswise; pinch cut edges to seal. Roll out one half to an 8-inch square.
• Brush 1 tablespoon Dijon on one side of Brie. Place in center of rolled-out pastry, mustard-side down. Brush remaining 1 tablespoon Dijon on top of Brie. Roll out remaining half of pastry to a 9-inch square. Center over Brie and gently press around it to remove any air pockets. Trim pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border around Brie. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather dough scraps and reroll to 1/8 inch thick. Using cookie cutters or a paring knife, cut out leaf shapes and score cutouts to create veins. Transfer cutouts to sheet with Brie. Freeze until pastry is firm, about 20 minutes.
• Brush top and sides of pastry with egg. Adhere cutouts to top of pastry in a decorative pattern, and brush cutouts with egg. Bake 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until pastry is puffed and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes more (if it's browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil). Serve hot, with Boozy Fruit, apple wedges, and baguette slices.

BOOZY SUMMER FRUIT

Steps:

• Arrange fruit in a shallow nonreactive dish. Drizzle with Solerno liqueur. Let stand, tossing occasionally, for 1 hour.

MOIST AND BOOZY FRUITCAKE WITH RUM AND PORT (A.K.A. DARK BROWN CAKE)

Steps:

• At least 2 weeks before you plan to bake the cakes, place prunes, raisins, currants, cherries, citrus peel, candied ginger, rum, and port in a large container with a lid. Stir fruit once a day.
• When ready to bake the cakes, preheat oven to 250 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans and two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans and line with parchment; butter parchment and set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor or the jar of a heavy-duty blender, grind almonds to a coarse meal. Stir ground almonds into the fruit mixture until well combined. Working in batches, transfer almond-fruit mixture to the bowl of a food processor or jar of a blender and pulse until a chunky paste forms. Transfer paste to a large bowl or a rimmed baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, whisk together boiling water and cocoa powder until smooth; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add vanilla, and beat in eggs, one at a time. Transfer to a very large bowl or stock pot.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Using a spatula, fold flour mixture into butter mixture. Add cocoa powder mixture and molasses and fold to combine; stir in fruit.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until cakes are firm on top and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 3 hours. Remove from oven and immediately brush tops of cakes with rum. Let cakes cool completely.
• Invert cooled cakes to unmold and brush with additional rum. Wrap cakes in cheesecloth, a clean dish towel, or sturdy paper towels, and then in aluminum foil. Let stand at room temperature at least 3 days before serving, and up to 1 month. Serve cakes dusted with confectioners' sugar or frosted with royal icing.

BOOZY FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Combine watermelon, strawberries, bananas, and mandarin slices in a large bowl. Pour in vodka and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator until serving.