# Anyone know what I can sub for cherry brandy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034 "2007-12-23T18:12:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/1 "2007-12-23T18:12:42Z")
I’m not about to buy a whole bottle of cherry brandy for this recipe. Plus, I’d like to substitute something non-alcoholic so my toddler can eat it. Here’s the recipe - any suggestions? > [@](#): > > Chocolate Cherry Trifle > Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson > Show: Nigella Feasts > Episode: Crowd Pleasers > > Chocolate Cherry Trifle > 2 (approximately 12 ounces each) chocolate pound cakes > 1/2 cup black cherry jam > 1/2 cup cherry brandy > 2 cups drained bottled sour cherries (recommended: Morello) > > Custard: > 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, minimum 70 percent cocoa solids, chopped > 1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon milk > 1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream > 8 egg yolks > 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar > 1/3 cup cocoa > > Topping: > 3 cups heavy cream > 1-ounce bittersweet chocolate > > Special Equipment: Large wide trifle bowl > > Slice the chocolate pound cake and make jam sandwiches with the cherry jam, and layer the bottom of a large wide trifle bowl. Pour over the cherry brandy so that the cake soaks it up, and then top with the drained cherries. Cover with cling wrap and leave to macerate while you make the custard. > > Melt the chocolate on low to medium heat in the microwave, checking after 2 minutes, though it will probably need 4 minutes. Or you can place it in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Once the chocolate is melted, ser aside while you get on with the custard. > > In a saucepan warm the milk and cream. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cocoa in a large bowl. Pour the warm milk and cream into the bowl whisking it into the yolks and sugar mixture. Stir in the melted chocolate, scraping the sides well with a rubber spatula to get all of it in, and pour the custard back into the rinsed saucepan. Cook over a medium heat until the custard thickens, stirring all the time. Make sure it doesn’t boil, as it will split and curdle. Keep a sink full of cold water so that if you get scared you can plunge the bottom of the custard pan into the cold water and > whisk like mad, which will avert possible crisis. > > The custard will get darker as it cooks and the flecks of chocolate will melt once the custard has thickened. And you do need this thick, so don’t panic so much that you stop cooking while it is still runny. Admittedly, it continues to thicken as it cools and also when it’s chilling in the refrigerator. Once it is ready, pour into a bowl to cool and cover the top of the custard with cling wrap to prevent a skin from forming. > When the custard is cold, pour and spread it over the chocolate cake layer in the trifle bowl, and leave in the refrigerator to set, covered in cling wrap overnight. > > When you are ready to decorate, softly whip the cream for the topping and spread it gently over the layer of custard. Grate the chocolate over the top. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/2 "2007-12-23T18:22:41Z")
Non alcoholic - go with a watered down simple syrup with the juice from a jar of marachinos. (Simple syrup = equal parts sugar and water, heated to get the sugar to dissolve). (Half a cup cherry brandy in that much cake and custard isn’t going to be much even for a toddler - its like giving her cough syrup. So if you wanted to stay traditional, you could use regular brandy or rum, with the same juice. But I find that any liquor in trifle (or its Italian cousin tiramisu) does give it a touch of the taste of “ye old lighter fluid” - turning off most children.) ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/3 "2007-12-23T18:23:39Z")
I might try the liquid from the bottled cherries, or from a bottle of maraschino cherries. And… beaten to the punch. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/4 "2007-12-23T18:24:49Z")
Looking at the recipe, the brandy is there to add moistness and flavor. I am no trifle expert but I would consider using the juice from the can of cherries. You might need to thin it with water if it is packed in heavy syrup. Another option, if the cherry juice doesn’t appeal, is the juice from a can of pears (packed in fruit juice, sometimes called “light” but contains no artificial sweetener), flavored with a few drops of cherry extract. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/5 "2007-12-23T18:28:16Z")
I just love the word “macerate,” don’t you? My grocery store actually carries cherry juice. That’s what I’d substitute, since the only purpose of the brandy is to moisten the cake. I think pomegranate juice would also work. If you want the brandy flavor, you can get brandy flavoring. (For some reason, I have four bottles of the stuff.) The trifle sounds yummy! ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/6 "2007-12-23T18:28:46Z")
Thanks! Like the freakin’ genius I am, I realized I could probably come up with something doing a search :rolleyes: , and discovered pretty much what you guys are saying. So I think I’m going to try the simple syrup/cherry juice combo. **Dangerosa** , I figured it would be okay, and we would probably just try the custard with him, since he’s not much of a dessert eater to begin with, but I also really don’t want to buy a whole bottle of cherry brandy just for this recipe 😃 . ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/7 "2007-12-23T18:30:20Z")
[QUOTE=freckafree] I just love the word “macerate,” don’t you? My grocery store actually carries cherry juice. That’s what I’d substitute, since the only purpose of the brandy is to moisten the cake. I think pomegranate juice would also work. If you want the brandy flavor, you can get brandy flavoring. (For some reason, I have four bottles of the stuff.) The trifle sounds yummy! [/QUOTE] I bought a trifle bowl last year specifically for this recipe, and didn’t make it (because we were all sick as hell with bronchitis and I didn’t feel like cooking :D), but I’m in charge of dessert for Christmas day this year. So we’re having it, come hell or high water. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/8 "2007-12-23T18:41:41Z")
Dayquil. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/9 "2007-12-23T18:43:31Z")
😕 I came in to say, [Grenadine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenadine_syrup)? Doesn’t that come in cherry? It is non-alcoholic. ETA: Either Grenadine, or [this](http://www.preparedpantry.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=564)? ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/10 "2007-12-23T18:46:59Z")
[QUOTE=Mrs. Cake] Dayquil. [/QUOTE] That would’ve been perfect last year. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/11 "2007-12-23T19:36:04Z")
[QUOTE=Zabali\_Clawbane] 😕 I came in to say, [Grenadine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenadine_syrup)? Doesn’t that come in cherry? It is non-alcoholic. ETA: Either Grenadine, or [this](http://www.preparedpantry.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=564)? [/QUOTE] **freckafree** did mention pomegranate juice, which is close. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/12 "2007-12-23T20:33:29Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] **freckafree** did mention pomegranate juice, which is close. [/QUOTE] Yeah. Just pointing out an option that might not have occured to the OP, one that shouldn’t be hard at all to find, in case she needs it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/13 "2007-12-24T03:40:43Z")
I think maraschino cherry juice is alcoholic. There is a certain amount of alcohol added, to wit the teeetotalers. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2007, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-what-i-can-sub-for-cherry-brandy/431034/14 "2007-12-24T03:46:08Z")
Maybe no alcohol, but as a byproduct of sulphurous cure.