One drop of cinnamon bark essential oil is plenty to give you just the right amount of spice. I dropped it onto a spoon before mixing it into the warm, honey liquid, that way, if more than one drop came out, I wouldn't have an overly spiced jar of cherries!
Enjoy!
BRANDIED CHERRIES
1 lb pitted Ranier cherries (or a mixture of black cherries
and Ranier)
1 cinnamon stick (about 3” long) or 1 drop cinnamon bark
essential oil
1 ¼ C honey
1 cup brandy
1 C spring water
Put cherries and cinnamon stick (if using) into a 1 qt
sealable glass container, such as a mason jar.
Warm honey, brandy, and water in a small saucepan until the
honey is thoroughly dissolved. Add one drop cinnamon bark essential oil (if using
instead of the cinnamon stick).
Pour liquid over cherries and let cool to room temperature
(1 or 2 hours).
Seal jar and chill until cherries have shrunk and absorbed
liquid, and are flavorful, at least one month and up to 4 months.
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| Brandied cherries and apricots. |
Question: do you have to use cinnamon bark, or can you use grounded up capsules? I ask because I really want to try this but without going out to the shops today and that's all I have in the house right now.
ReplyDeletePS when I say capsules I mean like the kind like this for instance http://www.regenerativenutrition.com/shop-product.asp?prod=176
Hi Paul, I checked out the website and tried to find out whether the capsules contain essential oil or ground up bark. I would imagine it is the latter. If that is true, you'd just have to experiment by opening the capsule and pouring some into the recipe. Keep checking to see how it tastes. The first recipe calls for the bark and recommends removing it. If you use ground up bark, it will be all mixed into the fruit. Kind of gritty... but if you don't mind, it might be OK. You could also open a couple of capsules into a small square of cheesecloth. Tie it up and submerse it in the pot with the fruit. Then remove it per the directions for the bark. Try either suggestion and let me know!
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