Brandy-Apple Punch Recipe
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Various autumnal delights combine for a festive holiday cocktail.
This recipe was featured as part of our Thanksgiving for Beginners menu.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup cranberries (about 4 ounces), thawed if frozen
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 3 cups apple cider or apple juice
- 3 cups brandy
- 1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 15 lemons)
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced, for garnish
- Ice
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place cranberries, 1/4 cup of the water, and the brown sugar in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until the cranberries are completely smashed and the brown sugar has dissolved slightly.
- Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups water, apple cider or juice, brandy, lemon juice, and maple syrup and stir vigorously until well combined and the sugar has completely dissolved. Pour the mixture through a strainer set over a 10-cup pitcher and discard the solids left in the strainer. Chill for at least 1 hour, or until cold.
- If desired, transfer the mixture to a punch bowl and top with apple slices. To serve, pour 3 ounces of the punch into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with a thin slice of apple.
This was delicious. Made it for a holiday party.. everyone gave it rave reviews.
Hi Nesthimer, I have not yet tried making the punch warm. But if you attempt it, I advise that you, at first, leave the brandy and lemon juice out, and increase the water to 1 3/4 to 2 cups (because you no longer have ice to dilute it). Warm the base mixture, then, when a guest comes over for a drink, portion out about 1/3 cup, then add 2 tablespoons brandy and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Start by making a single serving to see if it works (portions below). Let me know how this goes.
3 cranberries, 1/2 ounce water (but increase to 3/4 to 1 ounce), 1/2 teaspoon packed d. brown sugar, 1 ounce apple cider, 1 ounce brandy, 1/2 ounce lemon juice, 1/4 ounce maple syrup, 1 thin slice apple (to garnish)
Jill Santopietro, Senior Food Editor, CHOW.com
Any thoughts about serving this warm, rather than on ice? We have a big outdoor party, rain or shine, the day after Thanksgiving and I'm not opposed to serving this cold. Plenty of beer and white wine are consumed, after all. But something warm with brandy and apple cidar sounds pretty good.
wow..I was wondering what to do with the apples from the most prolific apple tree in the back yard..we're talking Marble Hill in the Bronx!! - There were so many apples this year-and I fear I am not a baker - so apple pies and such were not on the menu - but fresh apple juice for a Punch !/ any recipe for Apple wine?