Roasted Pear and Apple Sparkling Sangria
Pears and apple roasted with brown sugar and cinnamon for 30 minutes, then soaked in white wine, orange liqueur and apricot brandy for at least 24 hours and topped with fizz.
Roasted Pear and Apple Sparkling Sangria
Course: DrinksDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes24
hoursPears and apple roasted with brown sugar and cinnamon for 30 minutes, then soaked in white wine, orange liqueur and apricot brandy for at least 24 hours and topped with fizz.
Ingredients
2 Anjou or Bartlett pears
1 apple (like Honeycrisp, Cosmic Crisp or Fuji)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
750 ml (1 bottle) dry white wine, like Italian Pinot Grigio
1/4 cup orange liqueur, like Cointreau or Grand Marnier
1/4 cup apricot brandy, or apple or pear brandy
1/2 medium orange
Ginger beer, club soda or sparkling wine such as cava, to top each glass (1 to 2 ounces per glass)
3 cups ice, to fill the glasses halfway
6 orange slices or strips of peel, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Core the pears and the apple, then chop the fruit into 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces.
- Toss the chopped fruit with the light brown sugar.
- Spread the fruit on the baking sheet, add the cinnamon sticks and bake for 30 minutes.
- Let the fruit cool for 15 minutes.
- Move the fruit, cinnamon sticks and any baked sugar into a large pitcher, then add the white wine, orange liqueur and apricot brandy.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, up to three days.
- Squeeze in the orange half, stir well and strain through a fine mesh sieve into clean glass carafes, or skip straining to keep the fruit.
- Fill six glasses halfway with ice and divide the sangria among them.
- Top each glass with ginger beer, club soda or cava and garnish with an orange slice or peel.
Notes
- For a version without alcohol, use white grape juice for the wine and a splash of orange juice for the liqueur and brandy. Keep the roasted fruit and the brown sugar for the deep flavor. It keeps in the fridge for up to three days before the fizz goes in. Skip straining if you like to eat the soaked pears from the glass.
Roasted fruit is the whole trick
Baking the pears and apple with brown sugar and cinnamon concentrates them and gives a caramel note you cannot get from raw fruit. Chop the pieces to a similar size so they cook evenly and stay chunky once soaked.
The long soak does the rest. White wine, orange liqueur and apricot brandy slowly pull flavor out of the fruit and into the liquid.
Substitutions
Bosc pears hold their shape well. Pear brandy can stand in for the apricot brandy. Sparkling wine works instead of ginger beer if you want it drier.
Skip peeling the fruit. The skins add color and soften nicely in the oven. What does not work is raw fruit with no roasting, which tastes flat after a day in wine.
Serving and keeping
Pour over ice and spoon in a few soaked pears. They are the best part. Serve with brie, roasted nuts or a pork roast.
Hold the fizz until the glass. The base keeps in the fridge for a few days, but bubbles do not.
Roasted Pear and Apple Sparkling Sangria at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 11, led by Anjou or Bartlett pears, apple (like Honeycrisp, light brown sugar, cinnamon sticks
Tips for Roasted Pear and Apple Sparkling Sangria
For a version without alcohol, use white grape juice for the wine and a splash of orange juice for the liqueur and brandy. Keep the roasted fruit and the brown sugar for the deep flavor. It keeps in the fridge for up to three days before the fizz goes in. Skip straining if you like to eat the soaked pears from the glass.
Roasted Pear and Apple Sparkling Sangria FAQ
How many people does Roasted Pear and Apple Sparkling Sangria serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Roasted Pear and Apple Sparkling Sangria?
11 ingredients, led by Anjou or Bartlett pears, apple (like Honeycrisp, light brown sugar, cinnamon sticks. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
Part of: 25 Easy Fall Sangria Recipes for Thanksgiving and Cozy Nights
