It’s cherry season and that means revisiting and updating my most requested liqueur recipe: Cherry bounce.
In the old days, rock candy was used for cherry bounce.
Today you can make the liqueur with rock candy, granulated sugar or honey.
If you use honey, count on subbing 3/4 cup honey for 1 cup sugar.
Honey will impart a bit of its own flavor profile, so take that into consideration.
One more thing - plan on making it now for holiday gifts. This very special drink takes anywhere from 3-6 months for infusion to complete.
I like to go to the thrift store and purchase a few cordial glasses to include with the bounce.
Small and large batches cherry bounce
Cherries are usually left unpitted for looks and taste. You do what you want. I leave pits in.
Use either dark, sweet cherries or Rainier cherries.
Ingredients small batch
1/2 pound fresh cherries, washed and stemmed, pitted or not
8 oz or so rock candy or 1 generous cup of granulated sugar or 3/4 cup honey
1/2 bottle bourbon whiskey (full bottle is 750 ml)
Instructions
Put cherries in glass jar.
Put sweetener on top.
Pour whiskey over.
Put lid on and shake daily until sweetener dissolves (rock candy takes a bit longer). Taste a few time as it ages and add more sweetener if you like.
Let infuse 3-6 months before drinking.
Store in pantry away from heat and light.
Note:
If using rock candy on sticks or strings, remove sticks or strings before serving.
Large batch
Easy, peasy. Just double ingredients!
To serve
A lovely cordial, topping for ice cream or cake or added to sparkling water.
Let folks know cherries have pits if you left them unpitted.
Pits should not be ingested.
Tips
No fresh cherries?
Use frozen, thawed, unsweetened cherries.
Spice it up
Add a couple cinnamon sticks and ginger root slices to the initial infusion