Bay Area Life & Style Fall 2021

Taking inspiration from the
Wisconsin-favorite Cherry Bounce,
this recipe infuses liquor with
apples to add a fresh-picked flavor
you can’t buy in a store. This is a
great recipe to make this autumn
with that over-abundance of
apples you have from an
enthusiastic visit to the orchard.
Make a few extra jars to gift when
guests ask what the secret
ingredient in their cocktails is.
Pairs extremely well alongside a
crock-pot of apple cider at
Thanksgiving, with club soda to
make a spritzer, or in an oldfashioned
for a touch of fall.
Any hard liquor can be substituted
for brandy as long as it is 80-proof
(40% alcohol) or above, but vodka,
whiskey, and bourbon are our
favorites. Try mixing and matching
the ingredients you add to create
your own signature blend.
I N G R E D I E N T S
( p e r q u a r t )
2-3 tart pie apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 quart brandy (or liquor of choice)
1 sealable quart mason jar
Optional Infusions
(try any combination; we used
the first three):
1 stick cinnamon
1 whole nutmeg
3-5 whole cloves
1-2 orange peels
1 teaspoon allspice
1 whole vanilla bean
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1-2 inches fresh ginger, peeled
and chopped
D I R E C T I O N S
1. Pack quart jar full with apples
and infusions. Top with sugar.
2. Fill the jar completely with
alcohol. The apples will float
and also soak up some of the
liquid, so you may have to top
it off to keep the apples
completely covered.
3. Shake jars to dissolve sugar.
4. Store in a cool, dark place to
infuse for up to 2 weeks,
shaking every few days.
5. Strain solids out and pour
liquid into a new jar or small
bottles for gifting. Add a fresh
cinnamon stick and a few
cloves, if desired.
RECIPE NOTES:
Use a firm, tart apple like granny smith, honeycrisp, or pink lady.
Store out of direct sunlight.
Make sure apples are completely covered by the alcohol for preservation.
You can boil the jars beforehand to sterilize them (though the alcohol does that).
The strained alcohol has a long shelf life at room temperature, but it can be
stored in the fridge or freezer to make chilled cocktails smoother.