Best Liqueurs for Flavoring Chocolates

[Jim D.]

I have an opportunity to obtain (without a trip to NYC, where everything appears available) some hard-to-find liqueurs or brandies for my chocolate work, primarily in ganaches. I already have a poire Williams eau-de-vie and a framboise one as well. I have German kirschwasser but am getting low on that, so am thinking of getting more while I have this chance. For new ones, I'm thinking primarily of apricot. I have heard there are some wonderful European apricot brandies/liqueurs, but don't know which really taste of apricots and are worth purchasing. And the other flavor I would like is a strawberry brandy or liqueur. Online I've found Dolceterra Marcati wild strawberries liqueur and Drillaut strawberry liqueur but know nothing about either. I lean more toward a liqueur/cordial than eau-de-vie because sometimes I think the latter does not always taste specifically of the fruit.

 

Any guidance would be much appreciated, including ideas for fruits I haven't mentioned.

Edited April 3, 2019 by Smithy
Edited title for clarity; added tags (log)

[Kerry Beal]

I like Marie Brizzard Apry for apricot - the Luxardo was a reasonable replacement when I didn't have the Apry. Now I'm not sure how apricot they would be in ganache - but they are wonderful in cocktails.

 

I have a bottle of Fragoli which has nice strawberry flavor. 

 

 

[teonzo]

I don't have a big experience, so I can't suggest any producer/brand, especially because I heard too many stories about a product being different in different countries.

I would suggest you to look for berry liqueurs (cassis, mulberry, blueberry...) and grapefruit liqueurs. Cherry is a fruit worth exploring too, there is a lot of variety besides kirschwasser. Quince can give great stuff. All the plum varieties (mirabelle, reine claude...), peaches (especially Saturn/doughnut peaches). Some really hard to find but really worth are: elderberry, medlars, sorb, dogwood, arbutus, blackthorn.

The big problem is that the really great products are too expensive for chocolate making (50 euro per bottle or more here), especially the ones made with wild little fruits like the last ones I wrote.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[Jim D.]

3 hours ago, teonzo said:

I don't have a big experience, so I can't suggest any producer/brand, especially because I heard too many stories about a product being different in different countries.

I would suggest you to look for berry liqueurs (cassis, mulberry, blueberry...) and grapefruit liqueurs. Cherry is a fruit worth exploring too, there is a lot of variety besides kirschwasser. Quince can give great stuff. All the plum varieties (mirabelle, reine claude...), peaches (especially Saturn/doughnut peaches). Some really hard to find but really worth are: elderberry, medlars, sorb, dogwood, arbutus, blackthorn.

The big problem is that the really great products are too expensive for chocolate making (50 euro per bottle or more here), especially the ones made with wild little fruits like the last ones I wrote.

 

 

 

Teo

 

Thanks for all those suggestions. Actually 50 euros per bottle is not far from what many liqueurs cost in the U.S.--by the time import duties, federal tax, state tax, etc., are figured in.

 

What is your opinion of the Dolceterra products?  I am suspicious because they have just about any flavor one could want, somewhat like Jacquin's in the U.S. It appears many of the products, such as apricot or peach brandy, are alcohol with an added flavoring.

[teonzo]

13 hours ago, Jim D. said:

Thanks for all those suggestions. Actually 50 euros per bottle is not far from what many liqueurs cost in the U.S.--by the time import duties, federal tax, state tax, etc., are figured in.

 

Have you tried looking for some local producers? With all the food craze of the last 20 years, there must be some US artisans for sure.

 

 

 

13 hours ago, Jim D. said:

What is your opinion of the Dolceterra products?

 

I don't know them, sorry. If you are talking about this one, then I can only say I would not be inclined in buying anything.

The "biggest" Italian producer is Capovilla. I mean big as with the widest distribution (in specialty stores, the ones I call "food jewelries", not in supermarkets) and with the best ratings. Maybe some bottles are imported in the USA too, but you'll need to invest a kidney.

 

Another road worth trying is Chinese stores. You can find some really good stuff there and prices are good.

But if I were in your shoes then I'd try searching for small US artisans that work with foraged wild fruits.

I just tried googling for loganberry liqueur and the first page gave Whidbey Distillery, can't comment on quality without tasting, but I hope those prizes are deserved.

I googled one of their prizes, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and got this results page, with this entry:

Best Eu-de-Vie    
Impression Grape Spirits 42°, Yunnan, China
ALCOHOL: 42%      RETAIL PRICE: $34

$34 seems a great price, if you can find it.

If you search for other competitions I'm pretty sure you can find the contacts of a good number of producers who are worth trying.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[donk79]

3 hours ago, teonzo said:

 

Have you tried looking for some local producers? With all the food craze of the last 20 years, there must be some US artisans for sure.

Jim, I know that this is not what this thread is about, but I have run across some local producers (though I have not sampled the products myself).  Here is one that has some interesting sounding production https://www.vitaespirits.com/

Edited April 5, 2019 by donk79 (log)

[Chocoguyin Pemby]

On 4/2/2019 at 1:34 PM, Jim D. said:

I have an opportunity to obtain (without a trip to NYC, where everything appears available) some hard-to-find liqueurs or brandies for my chocolate work, primarily in ganaches. I already have a poire Williams eau-de-vie and a framboise one as well. I have German kirschwasser but am getting low on that, so am thinking of getting more while I have this chance. For new ones, I'm thinking primarily of apricot. I have heard there are some wonderful European apricot brandies/liqueurs, but don't know which really taste of apricots and are worth purchasing. And the other flavor I would like is a strawberry brandy or liqueur. Online I've found Dolceterra Marcati wild strawberries liqueur and Drillaut strawberry liqueur but know nothing about either. I lean more toward a liqueur/cordial than eau-de-vie because sometimes I think the latter does not always taste specifically of the fruit.

 

Any guidance would be much appreciated, including ideas for fruits I haven't mentioned.

 

This is not fruit based but Sortiliege is a maple whiskey I have used flovoring ganaches - it is amazing imho - it is from Quebec so you may have a hard time finding it.

 

[Kerry Beal]

8 hours ago, Chocoguyin Pemby said:

This is not fruit based but Sortiliege is a maple whiskey I have used flovoring ganaches - it is amazing imho - it is from Quebec so you may have a hard time finding it.

 

Jim’s got connections in Canada if he wants a bottle of Sortiliege!