Mary’s cherry bounce
Mary used rock crystal candy. Sugar works, too.
Cherries are usually left unpitted.
A reader told me last year she pitted the berries.“Easier to eat and use” she said. So do what you like.
This year I’ll make 2 batches: 1 with unpitted cherries and 1 with pitted. I’ll let you know if I find a difference in taste.
Ingredients
1 pound fresh dark cherries stemmed, unpitted or pitted
Enough rock candy (on stick or string) to make 12 oz.. or more, to taste OR 1-1/2 to 2 cups granulated sugar
1 bottle bourbon whiskey, 750 ml
Instructions
Put cherries in glass jar. Pour sugar and whiskey over. Put lid on. Shake daily until sugar dissolves.
Let infuse 3-6 months. Remove sticks or strings from rock candy.
Store in pantry.
Great as a holiday cordial or as a topping for ice cream or cake.
Write on label that cherries have pits if applicable.
How much to drink?
A couple of spoons as a medicinal, or in a cordial glass as a liqueur.
Tip: can’t find fresh dark cherries?
Use frozen, thawed cherries.
Cherry bounce with sour pie cherries
Use fresh, frozen, or canned packed in water.
I’ve not made it yet, but plan on making it soon.
Ingredients
2 cups bourbon whiskey
4 cups tart pie cherries, pitted or not
1-1/2 cups sugar or 12 oz. rock crystal candy
Instructions
Place cherries and sugar in a jar. Stir to mix.
Pour bourbon over. Seal and place in dark, warm place. Stir daily until sugar dissolves.
Let infuse 3 months or more.
Store in pantry.
Adapted slightly from boulderlocavore.com/Toni Dash.
Peach bounce with ginger
Along with vitamins and minerals, peaches contain antioxidants. And ginger is anti-inflammatory and helps soothe the tummy. This has a mellower flavor than the cherry bounce. I’ve not used this as a liqueur, since the peaches are diced and hard to strain out. Good, too, over ice cream or cake.
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds peaches
2” piece of ginger, chopped
6 pieces rock candy (on a stick or string) OR 1-1/2 to 2 cups granulated sugar
1 bottle bourbon, 750 ml
Instructions
Pit but don’t peel peaches. Cut into small dice.
Follow instructions for cherry bounce, subbing peaches and ginger for cherries.
Substituting vodka for bourbon
Yes, you can. You’ll have a lighter color and perhaps a less sweet flavor.
Bourbon vs. whiskey
Bourbon is a type of whiskey that gets its name from Bourbon County, Kentucky, where it originated.
Bourbon tends to be amber colored and a little sweeter and heavier in texture than other whiskeys.