Blackberry Brandy Recipe
A satisfying, easy project made with seasonal, foraged fruit. Brandy is flavoured with blackberries and sweetened with sugar to make a delicious, liqueur-like drink.
Ingredients
- 500 g blackberries, fresh or frozen see Recipe Note #1
- 700 ml brandy see Recipe Note #2
- 250 g white granulated or caster sugar see Recipe Note #3
Instructions
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Mix the blackberries with the sugar and brandy.
Put the blackberries into a very clean, large jar (it will need a lid) along with the sugar.
Stir them together, muddling so that the blackberries start to break up a little and release some of their juices.
Pour the brandy into the jar and stir well, aiming to dissolve as much of the sugar as possible. Don't worry if all the sugar doesn't dissolve: it will do over the coming days.
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Leave to infuse.
Put the lid on the jar and place in a dark place that's in easy reach such as a kitchen cupboard.
Shake the jar vigorously every other day for 3 weeks.
After 3 weeks, shake the jar once per week.
Continue shaking once per week for 3 months, or longer if preferred.
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Bottle and mature.
Strain the mixture through a sieve into a clean jug or bowl: the blackberries can be discarded or used in cakes, puddings, smoothies etc. but bear in mind they will have absorbed some of the alcohol.
Transfer the Blackberry Brandy to very clean, dry bottles and put on the lids.
Leave to mature for as long as you like: a minimum of 3 - 6 months is recommended.
Recipe Notes
Note #1 There's no need to defrost frozen blackberries so long as they're not frozen in a large clump.
Note #2 Other spirits can be used instead of brandy e.g. vodka, gin, whisky, rum.
Note #3 This amount of sugar makes a sweet liqueur. Add less sugar if preferred.