Brandy Desserts

My dad made carton after carton of this at Christmas time when I was growing up. He would give it to friends. He was very popular.

A warm French custard with brandied cherries. Almost any fruit can be used in this recipe.

A quick, lower-fat, rich chocolate custard that does not require baking or water baths. No one will ever guess it takes 10 minutes to make! Top with whipped cream before serving.

You can use rum or brandy, if you like.

Buttery Greek crescent shaped cookie.

Peaches are cut into halves, topped with a brandy-cinnamon sauce, and baked for 30 minutes. Place peaches on individual serving dishes, top with ice cream, and drizzle with sauce for a light summer dessert.

Candied ginger and cognac make this pumpkin pie unique.

An easy no-bake cheesecake using powdered whipped topping and flavored with cherry brandy. Decorate with chocolate syrup and fresh fruit slices, or just serve on its own.

This is one of the best chocolate mousses I've ever tried. It's so creamy (o.k. probably extremely fattening but holiday calories never count, do they?)I personally make the mousse without any alcohol added. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings for an extra special effect.

This is an excellent dessert to bring for the Holidays. You can use either Brandy or Rum. These do need some time to set up so it is best to make them the night before. If you don't care for walnuts, the balls can be rolled in confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder.

A twist on an Italian favorite. Ladyfingers are layered in a dish with raspberries and mascarpone filling.

This sweet, cinnamon-lemon custard is Chile's answer to the creme brulee.

This is my favorite dessert and will be the favorite of anyone who tries it, I am sure! You may substitute cubed pound cake for the ladyfingers.

Absolutely delectable and rich! Strawberries are injected with orange brandy, and dipped in rich dark chocolate. You don't have to put the white stripes on, but it gives a very professional look. Once you make these they won't last long! Takes a little time but its worth it!

This yummy Cuban dessert can be served alone or with vanilla ice cream.

This is an easy and elegant dessert. I get besieged with requests for the recipe every time I make it. Substitute any of your favorite fresh fruits for the strawberries, and it'll be still be just as delicious! You can also serve this in wine glasses because 1/2 cup servings are never enough.

An impressive dessert that's light enough to follow any meal and pretty enough for any occasion.

This is a wonderful twist on the traditional apple pie - great for fall! It calls for Pippin apples, but I usually use a combination of several kinds. Occasionally I add a bit of cinnamon, too!

An original French dessert recipe of my grandmother's, tweaked a bit to be lower in fat! It's best made with fresh fruit and is delicious with a dollop of lite whipped topping.

Cherries are simmered with brown sugar, then topped with brandy and lit on fire in this show-stopping topping for ice cream.

Many European cultures had this type of fried cookie. This particular recipe says to tie it in a knot but it can be made pulling one end through a slit cut into the dough.

This is a super easy recipe to make homemade marzipan and create little decorations for any cake, cupcake or Christmas cake.

This recipe makes enough for 24 luxurious mini fruitcakes. They make a thoughtful Christmas gift for neighbors, work colleagues or teachers, or as part of a gift basket. You can decorate them differently by making one for each family member which makes it a lot more fun.

This is my absolute favorite cake for the Christmas holidays. I would always look forward to this season just to get a piece of this cake. The longer the fruit sits in the alcohol, the better it tastes; minimum 2 weeks, maximum 3 months. As for the cake, the longer it sits there, the better it tastes! But make sure you have it wrapped properly if you want to leave it sitting for a long time. Make at few days ahead of serving for good measure. Prep time is the minimum time required for the fruit to soak.