Cold Spiced Pear Brandy

Ingredients

• ●2 oz (60 ml) pear brandy (Poire William, Clear Creek, or substitute regular VS/VSOP Cognac)
• ●¾ oz (22 ml) Spiced Pear Syrup (recipe below)
• ●½ oz (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• ●½ oz (15 ml) Amaro (Averna or Montenegro)
• ●2 dashes Angostura bitters
• ●Ice
• ●Thin pear slice and cinnamon stick, for garnish
• ●*For the spiced pear syrup (makes about 1 cup):**
• ●1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
• ●½ cup (100 g) sugar
• ●½ cup (120 ml) water
• ●1 cinnamon stick
• ●3 whole cloves
• ●2 slices fresh ginger
• ●1 strip lemon peel

Method

1. **Make the syrup.** Combine all syrup ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Simmer 10 minutes, mashing the pear occasionally. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing gently. Cool completely.
2. **Combine** brandy, spiced pear syrup, lemon juice, amaro, and bitters in a mixing glass with ice.
3. **Stir** for 25-30 seconds until well-chilled.
4. **Strain** into a chilled coupe glass.
5. **Garnish** with a thin pear slice and a short cinnamon stick.
6. *Variations:**
7. **Pear Sidecar:** 2 oz brandy, ¾ oz pear syrup, ¾ oz lemon juice. Shake and strain into a sugar-rimmed coupe.
8. **Pear Champagne Cocktail:** Pour ½ oz pear syrup into a flute, top with sparkling wine, garnish with a pear slice.
9. *Storage:** Spiced pear syrup keeps 2 weeks refrigerated. The cooked pear solids make a nice topping for oatmeal or yogurt.