Recipe: Brandied Fruit Melange, Uzvar (dried fruit compote), and Brandied Fruits for Alicia

This wonderful recipe uses fresh fruit:

Brandied Fruit Melange

about 10 quarts (about 10 liters) prepared fresh fruits: hulled strawberries; pitted cherries; whole raspberries; peeled, pitted and sliced apricots and peaches; whole blueberries; pitted plums; and peeled, cored and sliced pears; about 10 quarts (about 10 liters) sugar;
about 2 1/2 quarts (about 2 1/2 liters) brandy;

Brandy base:
2 cups (1/2 liter) brandy
1 1/2 quarts (1 1/2 liters) firm, ripe strawberries, hulled
6 cups (1 1/2 liters) sugar
2 cups (1/2 liter) kirsch
2 cups (1/2 liter) sherry
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon (15 ml) whole cloves
1 tablespoon (15 ml) whole allspice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon (15 ml) grated orange peel

For the brandy base, crush the strawberries and simmer them in their own juice until they are tender, about five minutes. Let the berries drip in a jelly bag; discard the pulp. Bring the strawberry juice to a boil, add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Cool the syrup. Put the brandy, kirsch, sherry, spices and grated lemon and orange peels into a 4 gallon (16 liter) crock. Add the strawberry syrup to the other ingredients in the crock. Let the mixture stand for at least one week.

As fruits are available, add equal quantities of fresh fruits and sugar, stirring after each addition. Never add more than 2 quarts (2 liters) of sugared fruit at one time. Two or three kinds of fruit may be added at the same time. For each 2 quarts of sugared fruit, add 2 cups (1/2 liter) of brandy. More spices also may be added. Continue this process until the crock is filled. Put the cover on the crock and tie a cloth over it. Let it stand without disturbing it for two or three months.

This one is with dried fruit:

UZVAR (DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE)

4 oz Dried Prunes -- Pitted
4 oz Raisins
8 oz Dried Apple Slices
8 oz Dried Pear Quarters
1 c Honey -- Clover Or Wild
1 Cinnamon Stick
6 Whole Cloves
2 qt Apple Cider
Juice And Peel Of 1 Lemon

Combine the fruit in a large pot and fill with enough cider to cover it by a third more. (The fruit will absorb a lot of liquid.) Add the cloves and lemon peel. Simmer until the larger pieces are cooked but not falling apart. Pour off the liquid into a pan and cook until reduced by 1/3rd. Add the honey, cinnamon, lemon juice, and fruit. Reheat, stirring. Taste, and add more lemon juice if needed. It should not be cloying sweet, the taste of the fruit should dominate. Serve warm in crystal or clear glass bowls. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

With dried Fruit:

Brandied fruits

SYRUP:
250 ml water
250 ml sugar

FRUIT SALAD:
enough mixed dried fruit to fill a preserving jar
2 cinnamon sticks
6 cloves
brandy

Boil syrup ingredients together for 3 minutes. Leave to cool. Fill a wide-necked preserving jar with unsoaked dried fruit. Break cinnamon sticks into pieces. Insert cinnamon and cloves between fruit. Pour cooled syrup over fruit to fill a third of the jar. Top up with brandy. Seal and leave for about 14 days before opening the jar.
Serve with ice cream.