How much brandy ?

[Toddy]

We have something of a glut of peaches just now. Beautiful big juicy sweet peaches. I've frozen loads, I have prepped jars of crumble and pie fillings, I am going to make peach spread (like the apple and pear stuff, think Sunwheel) and I'd like to jar some in brandy syrup for Winter.

How much brandy to how much syrup though ? and do I need to poach the jars ?

M

 

[Goatboy]

Morning Toddy,

Something I've not made in ages and I preferred a rum syrup to brandy but that's just me. Here's a recipe I used a couple of years ago: -

Makes 2 x 1 litre kilner jars


14 medium-sized peaches


650g granulated sugar


800ml water


400ml brandy


10 cloves

1/2 to 1 vanilla pod


cinnamon stick


2 blades of mace


Peel the peaches by dipping them in boiling water to loosen skins. The skins should then rub off easily. Halve and remove stones. ***** all over with a cocktail stick or needle.


Next, make the syrup by bringing the sugar and water to the boil in a very large pan (you’ll be adding the peaches later so you need a pan that will accommodate them and the liquid). Add the spices and boil rapidly for 3 minutes. Add the peaches and poach for 10 minutes.


Remove the peaches using a slotted spoon and divide between the kilner jars. Pour 200ml of brandy into each jar. Allow the syrup to cool then top up the jars with the syrup. Don’t worry if you have a quantity of syrup left over, it’s nice drizzled over some good vanilla (or even better some brown-bread ice-cream) ice-cream. Seal the jars and store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 months.

Be good to see some pics of how you get on.

 

[British Red]

This is my brandy syrup bottling recipe Mary. It'll work fine with peaches

This is one of my favourite recipes for a little luxury over winter. You will need

2 ½ cups of granulated sugar
½ pint of water
2lbs of pears peeled and cored (about 8 pears)
4 bay leaves
½ pint of brandy

The first step is to peel each pear, then cut it into quarters and cut out the core, pith and seeds.

Next put the sugar and water in a heavy pan and bring to the boil. Simmer the syrup for 10 minutes until it thickens and then put the pears into the syrup.

Turn the heat right down and poach the pears until tender – I find 20 minutes is about right but it depends on ripeness and size, 1 minute before the end add the bay leaves.

Take the pan from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Us a slotted to spoon to lift out the pears and pack them carefully into jars.

Put the sugar syrup back on the heat (take out the bay leaves first) and boil vigorously for 5 minutes to thicken the syrup.

Take the syrup off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Then pour in the brandy stirring well. Its important to let the syrup cool first a little or all the alcohol will evaporate.

Pour the brandy syrup into the jars ensuring the fruits are covered. Seal the jars well.

There is often some brandy syrup left over. Please dispose of this carefully since its sweet and delicious but not suitable for children. My personal method of disposal involves ice cream and a spoon.

Hope you enjoy this one!

Red

 

[Goatboy]

Oh I like the idea of the bay leaves Hugh, wouldn't have thought of that off of my own back but I may pinch the idea if that's cool by your good self?

 

[British Red]

Pinch away old thing

Found a long forgotten jar of those pears when we moved. I can attest they are both safe and yummy after several years !

 

[Toddy]

Thank you both it's much appreciated.

I take it that cheap brandy's fine ? I was in Sainsbury's yesterday and bought a bottle of their 'basic' brandy to use….so cheap and basic that it came in a plastic bottle and it says, "new but still tres bon"….a sip went down like firewater, so I'm definitely going to need to do some flavouring to this.

Ah well, loads of peaches

M

 

[Goatboy]

It's why I pop vanilla in stuff using really cheap spirits, tends to soften the hammerblow to the pallet.

 

[British Red]

It'll be okay. For cheap stuff I use E&J brandy made by E&J Gallo of winemaking fame. It's available for £12 from Nisa shops and is actually drinkable. More than good enough for cakes and sauces.

 

[bigbear]

Spanish brandy is also fine for preserving fruit, used to do lots of apricots in it, works fine and its cheap.

 

[cranmere]

All of it Seriously, add it to your own taste. And yes, you'll need to water-bath the jars and seal them because the concentration of alcohol won't be high enough on its own to preserve the peaches for long, even if you add sugar. It sounds delicious.

 

[santaman2000]

It'll be okay. For cheap stuff I use E&J brandy made by E&J Gallo of winemaking fame. It's available for £12 from Nisa shops and is actually drinkable. More than good enough for cakes and sauces.

E&J has at least three grades of brandy so some are better than others. I keep the VSOP.

 

[Robson Valley]

V.ery S.uspicious O.ld P.lonk?

 

[Toddy]

V.ery S.uspicious O.ld P.lonk?

You're very polite about it……round here VSOP = Very Sick or ******.


M

 

[santaman2000]

V.ery S.uspicious O.ld P.lonk?

You're very polite about it……round here VSOP = Very Sick or ******.


M

LOL. Even their cheapest grade (VS) ain't really bad. That said, I really can't afford XO

 

[Robson Valley]

Careful.
XO is an old-fashioned notation for 45X, the current notation for Turner's Syndrome.
This describes human females with just a single X chromosome. Normal is 46XX.

You're saying that some brandy(?) is labelled XO? Grappa?

 

[nitrambur]

Just wondering if the alcohol has to be above a certain percentage for this to work? Got a bottle of Ron Miel (honey rum) but it's only 20%, would it be ok?

 

[Robson Valley]

The alcohol % does matter and not just for preservation. Many of the flavors and aromas are barely water-soluble but they dissolve quite easily IF there's enough alcohol % to do the job. One lovely result is that all those sensory things are trapped in the fruit and syrup to bring a far more enriched taste to the palate (big kitchen talk for "it tastes yummy.")