Pie Dough with Vodka
One 9-inch double crust pie
2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
½ cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
¼ cup cold Maple River Distillery Rhubarb Vodka
¼ cup cold water

In a food processor, pulse 1 ½ cups flour, salt and sugar until combined. Add butter and shortening and process until the dough start to gather in clumps, about 15 seconds. Scrape the bowl down and add the remaining one cup of flour, pulse until evenly distributed.

Empty into another bowl and sprinkle vodka and water over the mixture. Mix the dough together with a rubber spatula utilizing a folding motion, until the dough sticks together. Divide the dough into two even balls, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.

This dough will require up to ¼ cup flour to roll out since it is more moist and supple.

Chokecherry Vodka Mocha Bundt Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/4 cup Maple River Distillery Chokecherry vodka
1/4 cup coffee flavored liqueur
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup coffee flavored liqueur
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine Cake mix, sugar, pudding mix, oil, eggs, vodka, coffee liqueur and water. Mix at low speed for 1 minute and then at medium speed for 4 minutes.
3. Pour into prepared Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for one hour or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto wire rack.
4. To make the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup coffee liqueur with the confectioners sugar. Mix well and pour over cake.

Chocolate Rhubarb Vodka Cake

3/4 cup Maple River Distillery Rhubarb Vodka
1/4 cup kahlua
4 eggs
1 box yellow cake mix (Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Golden)
1 box instant chocolate pudding
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 cup oil (Wesson vegetable)

Grease bundt pan with Pam or butter. Coat with light layer of flour. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Mix at medium speed for 4 minutes.Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, checking for "done-ness" at 50 minutes.

Chocolate Ganache Tart Recipe
This tart is as chic as it is simple. The filling requires no baking, so after a few hours in the refrigerator, just slice and serve. While you wait, make the cherry-vodka sauce; its sweet cherry flavor is a perfect complement to the tart’s bittersweet, trufflelike interior.
Game plan: The tart can be made up to 2 days ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator.
The cherry-vodka sauce can be made up to 4 days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.
This recipe was featured as part of our Chocolate Desserts photo gallery.
INGREDIENTS
For the crust:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, halved, seeds scraped, bean reserved
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
For the filling:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), cut into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the cherry-vodka sauce:
2 (10-ounce) bags frozen cherries (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup vodka
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
For the crust:
1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Combine butter, sugar, vanilla seeds, and salt in a large bowl and stir until evenly incorporated. Add flour and stir until just combined and a soft dough forms.
3. Sprinkle dough over the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Using a measuring cup or your fingers, evenly press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan (flour the cup occasionally to prevent sticking).
4. Cover the tart shell with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Once chilled, prick it all over with a fork and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling:
1. Place chocolate and butter in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Combine cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves and liquid is just at a simmer, about 4 minutes.
3. Pour cream mixture over chocolate and butter and let sit until melted, about 4 minutes. Gently stir until smooth.
4. Pour ganache into the cooled tart shell and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill until set, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

For the cherry-vodka sauce:
1. Place cherries, vodka, sugar, and reserved vanilla bean from the crust in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cherries start to break down and syrup has thickened, about 50 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Serve with slices of tart.

Brandy Recipes:

Baked Apples in Butter Brandy Sauce
4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup Maple River Distillery Apple Brandy

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place apples in a shallow baking dish. Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg; pack the mixture into the cores of the apples and pile the remaining on the tops. The tops of the apples should be covered. Place 1 tablespoon of butter on top of each apple. Pour the brandy into the dish, drizzling over the apples. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until apples can be sliced with a spoon. Serve in a bowl with some ice cream, and spoon sauce over. The sauce will be slightly runny.

White Chocolate Cheesecake with White Chocolate Brandy Sauce
4 (1 ounce) squares white chocolate
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups finely chopped white chocolate
2 fluid ounces brandy

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Wrap the outside of a 10 inch springform pan with foil. Grease the inside of the pan.
Place the cream cheese, sugar, and flour in a mixing bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape bowl.

Melt 4 ounces of the white chocolate. With an electric mixer on low speed, mix melted white chocolate into cream cheese mixture. Keeping electric mixer on low, slowly beat in the vanilla and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Blend well. Pour mixture into the prepared springform pan.

Place cheesecake pan in a water bath filled with warm water. Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 50 to 60 minutes, or until center of the cheesecake is just firm. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Refrigerate until set before removing from pan.
To make White Chocolate Brandy Sauce: Place 1 cup heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Watch carefully so it doesn't boil over. Pour hot cream over 2 cups of finely chopped white chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until melted. Add brandy and continue stirring until incorporated. Pour over chilled cheesecake and serve.

Brandy Baked Brie

1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup Maple River Distillery Apple Brandy
2 cups finely chopped walnuts
1 (2-pound) wheel of brie
Assorted crackers

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine brown sugar and brandy. Stir in walnuts. Place brie on top of oven-proof serving platter and spoon walnut mixture over top, covering completely. Wrap platter in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Remove brie from refrigerator, unwrap and discard plastic. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Cool slightly and serve with crackers.

Classic Cherries Jubilee
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup orange juice
1 pound Bing or other dark, sweet cherries, rinsed and pitted (or use frozen pitted cherries)
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon cherry extract
1/4 cup Maple River Distillery Chokecherry Brandy
3 cups vanilla ice cream

Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a wide saucepan. Stir in the water and orange juice; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking until thickened. Stir in the cherries and orange zest, return to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. While the cherries are cooking, spoon the ice cream into serving bowls.
Remove the cherries from the heat, and stir in the cherry extract. Pour in the brandy, and ignite with a long lighter. Gently shake the pan until the blue flame has extinguished itself. Spoon the cherries over the bowls of ice cream.

Anise Biscotti
2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup brandy
1 1/2 teaspoons anise extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup almonds
2 tablespoons anise seed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil.
In large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine brandy, anise extract and vanilla in a small bowl or measuring cup. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Alternately add dry ingredients and brandy mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the almonds and aniseed.
Drop dough by spoonfuls onto prepared sheet, forming two 2 x 13-inch long strips on each sheet. Smooth dough into logs with moistened fingertips.
Bake about30 to 35 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch. Place cookie sheets on racks and cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
Cut cooled logs on the diagonal into 3/4-inch thick slices using a serrated knife. Place slices on cookie sheets.
Bake for about 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes, until dry and slightly brown. Remove to a rack and cool.

Brandy Almond Cake
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 eggs, separated
3 cups self-rising flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Maple River Distillery Chokecherry Brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch round baking pan.
Beat the butter and 1 1/2 cups of sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the room-temperature egg yolks one at a time, allowing each egg yolk to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Pour in the flour alternately with the milk, mixing until just incorporated. Stir in the almond extract. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form in a large glass or metal mixing bowl. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the egg whites should form a sharp peak that holds its shape. Fold the egg whites into the batter; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Pour the batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 90 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. Cut any excess cake so that it is flush with the sides of the pan.
Bring the water and 1 cup of sugar to a boil for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer, then add brandy and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes and remove from heat. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature. Prick holes in the cooled cake with a toothpick, then slowly saturate the cake with the brandy syrup.
Serves: 6-8

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