California Farm Farmers Daughters Apricot Brandy

Name: California Farm Farmers Daughters Apricot Brandy
Yield: 2 people all year
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Preserve the sundried apricots:; 1 Pound dried pitted apricots; 1/2 Cup sugar; 1/2 cup water; 1 strip Meyer lemon peel; 1 Tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup brandy; Make the apricot brandy:; 1/2 Tsp brewers yeast; 1 Cup cane sugar; 1 cup water; 1 cup brandy

Hobby Horseman @HobbyHorseman

California, United States

This dish is called “Farmers Daughters”, probably because the fruit makes a smooth and mild tasting dessert, but the liquid develops more alcohol from airborne wild yeasts on the dried fruits.
A small piece of brandied apricot is served on special family occasions over ice cream to all eligible younger family members.
The flavor of the apricots transfers to the sap over a few months and is then fortified with sugar and brewers yeast, becomes an adults only liqueur, 20% alcohol, 40 proof.

Hobby Horseman @HobbyHorseman

California, United States

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Ingredients

Week sundry, 6 months store, 2 week ferment

2 people all year

Preserve the sundried apricots:
1 Pounddried pitted apricots
1/2 Cupsugar
1/2 cupwater
1 stripMeyer lemon peel
1 Tspvanilla extract
1 cupbrandy
Make the apricot brandy:
1/2 Tspbrewers yeast
1 Cupcane sugar
1 cupwater
1 cupbrandy
Equipment: pint mason jar to start, quart wine decanter with cap to finish
Cost: free from garden, or $10 a pound fresh, $4 brandy, other

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Steps

Week sundry, 6 months store, 2 week ferment

1

Split fresh apricots, remove pits, dry in sun, put in pint jar. Add sugar, vanilla and piece of Meyer lemon peel. Cover with California brandy, about a cup. Shake daily till sugar is dissolved.
2

Close well, put in dark pantry. Brandy will plump up the apricots and the sap will have about 17% alcohol. Taste every few months to test how the apricot flavor transfers to the sap.
3

When sap is full of apricot flavor, transfer to quart bottle with recloseable cap. 2023 preserves now become 2024 liqueur. Add cup of cane sugar, cup of california brandy. Add 1/2 Tsp of brewers yeast. Measure starting alcohol in apricot sap, about 17%. Lay cap back on bottle, put in pantry, check daily. When bubbling stops, about two weeks later, measure alcohol. The 2023 preserves came in at 20%. Press cap on bottle to close bottle and store in dark pantry. Fresh for years. Enjoy.

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Hobby Horseman @HobbyHorseman

on July 27, 2023 02:00

California, United States

I teach people at the farmers market to grow small scale fruits and vegetables. My grandparents and parents taught me growing, cooking and preserving home grown fruits and vegetables, eggs, meats and fish. I got certified by the University of California Master Gardener Program in 2005. I try to bring out the original flavor of ingredients, then add layers of spices, herbs and flavorings that enhance, not distort the taste. These are the global, organic and vegan family recipes we use.