- Pear
The answer to "Should I make my own pear liqueur?" is YES!
By
Marcia Simmons
Marcia Simmons
Contributor
Marcia Simmons is the author of DIY co*cktails: A Simple Guide to Creating Your Own Signature Drinks (2010).
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Updated December 13, 2022
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Why It Works
- Homemade pear liqueur made with brandy gives you the sweetness of a fruit liqueur and the dryness of brandy in one ingredient.
- It's easy, cheap, and better-tasting than the store-bought stuff.
- The strained fruit used to make this liqueur is great in desserts or on ice cream.
- Any pears will work in this recipe.
I am obsessed with Champagne co*cktails. So when I hit upon a DIY ingredient that pairs well with sparkling wine, it's time for me to buy bubbly by the case. One Thanksgiving, I happened upon a delicious fizzy co*cktail made with sparkling wine, fresh pear syrup, and gin, which launched a new sub-obsession—finding ways to combine pears and Champagne.
So far, my favorite is a homemade pear liqueur made with brandy, because you get the sweetness of a fruit liqueur and a little dryness and rich flavor from brandy bundled into one ingredient. During the winter, many of the more showy fruits are out of season, but you can still find decent pears. (You have to love a fruit that goes equally well with stinky cheese and pork chops as it does with Champagne and brandy.)
What's Available to Buy
Though pear liqueur isn't something you'd find in every corner liquor store, places like BevMo tend to stock it. Pear brandy is a liquor distilled from pears, and is sometimes called eau de vie de poire. These are the ones you'll see with the little pear in the bottle, and there's no sugar added. Pear liqueur, on the other hand, is a spirit plus sugar and pear flavoring. The spirit can be brandy or a liquor made from pears. Liqueurs made with a pear eau de vie as the base tend to be brighter and fruitier, while the brandy-based versions have deeper undertones.
Two of the standout liqueurs made with a pear-spirit base are Rothman & Winter's Orchard Pear and Mathilde Pear. Both are lovely and delicate with a strong flavor of fresh pears. Xante and Brillet pear liqueurs are made with a Cognac base. While the pear flavors are strong, the spirit also comes through and makes it about more than just a fruity beverage.
Why DIY?
Making your own pear eau de vie is an ambitious task, but making pear liqueur with another spirit as the base hits the "Yes, Make It Yourself!" trifecta: It's easy, cheap, and better-tasting than the store-bought stuff. My favorite is a brandy base, but you could also try it with whiskey or vodka. Pears are a flexible ingredient, so if you wanted to try a different second flavor in place of vanilla, you could go with cinnamon, ginger, orange, or almond instead.
Use It!
This liqueur is a natural with Champagne—with or without a little lemon. For a stronger Champagne co*cktail, you could splash in a little brandy, too. Speaking of bubbles, I like to add this pear liqueur to club soda for a lower-alcohol co*cktail refresher. We're also big fans ofthis pear and tequila co*cktail recipefrom Gramercy Tavern in NY.
If you're feeling creative, use your homemade pear liqueur in place of triple sec in aSidecar. Using the Mr. Potato Head method, you could easily swap this in for triple sec in other classics. What other co*cktails do you think need a little pear?
February 2012
Recipe Details
DIY Pear Liqueur Recipe
Prep10 mins
Cook15 mins
Active10 mins
Total168 hrs 25 mins
Serves18 servings
Makes2 1/4 cups
Ingredients
2 ripe pears, divided (organic preferred)
1 vanilla bean
1 cup brandy
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Directions
Wash and chop one pear, discarding seeds and core. Leave the skin on. Split and scrape vanilla bean.
Place pear and vanilla bean in a sealable glass jar and cover with brandy. The jar should have enough room to add another cup of liquid later in the process. Seal and shake, then let steep for 2 days. Remove vanilla bean, and then let steep for another 3 days.
Chop the second pear, discarding seeds and core. Add it to a pot, along with water and sugar, then stir and bring to a boil on medium heat, about 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Let syrup mixture cool.
Once cooled, pour the syrup (with the fruit) into the steeping jar. Shake and let steep for 2 days. Taste, and if desired flavor is achieved, strain through a fine-mesh strainer and then a coffee filter into a bottle or jar.
Special Equipment
Fine-mesh strainer, coffee filter, paring knife
Notes
You can substitute another spirit for brandy or replace the vanilla with another spice like ginger or a cinnamon stick. Vanilla releases its flavor a lot more quickly than pears do. This is also true of other strong ingredients like ginger and cinnamon. So be sure to taste your liqueur as it infuses to see when you need to remove your secondary flavoring ingredient.
Straining through the coffee filter is recommended because it catches small, hard-to-see bits of pear that, when left in the liqueur, cause it to develop off flavors more quickly. I recommend keeping it no longer than two months. Refrigeration is not needed.
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 67 | Calories |
| 0g | Fat |
| 11g | Carbs |
| 0g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
×
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 18 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 67 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 0g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 1mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 11g | 4% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 11g | |
| Protein 0g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 1mg | 0% |
| Iron 0mg | 0% |
| Potassium 3mg | 0% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
