Brandied Fruit Starter Food

FRIENDSHIP BRANDY FRUIT STARTER

Steps:

• TO START: Combine all ingredients in a clean, large glass jar.
• Stir gently with wooden spoon.
• Cover and let stand at room temperature for three weeks, stirring at least twice a week.
• Fruit is fermented when it is translucent.
• CARE AND FEEDING: Stir mixture daily.
• Every two weeks add one cup sugar and one cup of fruit and stir gently. Alternate fruits each time.
• Cover and let stand at room temperature at least three days before using.
• Do not add fruit more often than once every two weeks.
• Do not delay adding fruit for more than one or two days past schedule.
• IMPORTANT: To keep the starter going, retain at least three cups at all times.
• SHARING: Whenever you have more than six cups of fermented fruit, you may divide it into two portions, being sure there are at least three cups in each portion.
• Do this just before you would do a normal feeding.
• Feed each portion.
• Give one portion to a friend (with Care and Feeding directions) and keep one for yourself.
• Search on "friendship fruit" to find recipes that use this.
• There is also a Friendship Sourdough Starter (Recipe #647936) - yum!

FRIENDSHIP FRUIT STARTER

Steps:

• In a large glass jar, combine drained pineapple chunks, drained apricot slices, drained sliced peaches, drained maraschino cherries, brandy and sugar. Stir gently with wooden spoon. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 3 weeks, stirring at least twice a week. Drain and reserve the liquid - This liquid is your starter for the Thirty Day Friendship Cake.

BRANDED FRUIT STARTER

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a clean, nonmetal bowl.
• Stir gently.
• Cover mixture and let it stand at room temperature for 3 weeks.
• Stir mixture two times per week.
• Serve fruit over ice cream or pound cake.
• Reserve at least 1 cup of starter mixture at all times.
• To replenish starter, add 1 cup sugar and one of the first 4 ingredients every 1-3 weeks, alternating fruit each time.
• Stir gently after adding fruit and sugar.
• Cover and let mixture stand at room temperature 3 days before using.

FRIENDSHIP FRUIT STARTER

Steps:

• In a large glass jar, combine drained pineapple chunks, drained apricot slices, drained sliced peaches, drained maraschino cherries, brandy and sugar.
• Stir gently with a wooden spoon.
• Cover and let stand at room temperature for 3 weeks, stirring at least twice a week.
• Drain and reserve the liquid. This liquid is your starter for the "Thirty Day Friendship Cake".

BRANDIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Combine the fruit in a medium bowl.
• Stir together the orange juice and brandy in a measuring cup.
• Pour over fruit; cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours before serving, enjoy.

BRANDIED DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the currants, cranberries, cherries, pears and apricots. Zest the orange and add the zest to the bowl. Add the lemon, ginger, anise seeds, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom.
• Juice the orange and add the liquid to the bowl. Add the brandy and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a jar, cover and refrigerate. (If you don't have a jar that's large enough, keep the mixture in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.) Allow the fruit to sit in the liquid for 2 to 14 days before using. The flavor of the fruit, spices and brandy will improve with time. At least once a day, turn the jar upside-down (or thoroughly stir the mixture if it's in a bowl) to make sure all the dried fruit gets coated in the brandied liquid. The mixture keeps in the refrigerator for months, stored in an airtight container.

BRANDIED-FRUIT TARTLETS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring dried fruit and cider to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is almost absorbed, 8 minutes. Transfer fruit mixture to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not pasty. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in pecans and brandy. (To store, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate, up to 1 week.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to an 1/8-inch thickness. With a 3 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut dough into 12 rounds, then press rounds into 12 standard muffin cups (dough should come 3/4 inch up sides). Divide fruit mixture among cups and brush edges with egg. With a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut remaining dough into 12 smaller rounds (reroll scraps if necessary). With lightly floured decorative cutters or a knife, cut out shapes from smaller rounds (or cut slits to vent). Place on tartlets, pressing lightly at edges to seal. Brush tops with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Freeze until firm, 10 minutes (or up to 1 day).
• Bake until tartlets are golden brown, 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool in pan, 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around each tartlet; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

BRANDIED HOLIDAY FRUIT

Steps:

• In a one quart jar pack peach halves, pineapple slices and cherries in layers adding about 1/4 cup sugar with each layer until the fruit reaches the neck of the jar.
• Pour in enough brandy to cover, stir and seal tightly.
• As fruit is removed, add equal amounts of fruit and sugar to the jar and enough brandy to cover.