Mmm, booze. Who doesn’t enjoy a cocktail every night on occasion?

Well, the folks at Recipe ReDux challenged us to go beyond the cocktail and use our favorite alcohol as a recipe ingredient:

From plain Jane vanilla extract to fancy-pants elderflower liqueur, we like to keep a little liquor in the kitchen. Show us how you like to cook, bake or mix-it-up with spirits, extracts and other alcohols. A splash of vodka makes summer sauces shine – and liqueurs brighten desserts: What’s your healthy recipe with spirit?

I thought of about a thousand and one different recipes that I wanted to make, most of which involved raki, an unsweetened, anise-infused alcohol (similar to the Greek ouzo) that is the national drink of Turkey (where my dad is from).

After a failed search for raki, however, my plans changed. It became all about the bourbon, specifically, Maker’s Mark.

I will admit that I generally only like to drink clear alcohol (e.g. vodka, gin) but for desserts, bourbon can’t be beat for the amazingly rich, deep flavor it lends.

Now I love a bourbon caramel sauce over bread pudding (see my recipe for Bourbon Caramel Cake Pudding), but I wanted to lighten it up. I promise you, you won’t even miss the bread pudding on this recipe.

I don’t even like Old Fashioneds, but when you reduce all the ingredients to a sauce…perfection!

Bourbon Old Fashioned Reduction Over Bruleed Stone Fruits

You’ll want to put the sauce over EVERYTHING — ice cream, pancakes, waffles, into coffee, etc. Feel free to use whatever stone fruits you have on hand.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 stone fruits, such as plums, peaches or nectarines
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup bourbon, such as Maker’s Mark
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• Juice of 1/2 orange

Directions:

1. Set oven to Broil.
2. Cut stone fruit in half lengthwise (along the pit, like you would an avocado)
3. Remove the pits
4. Lay, cut side up, in a casserole dish. 
5. Sprinkle cut side of fruit with 1/4 cup sugar.
6. Broil for 5-10 minutes (make sure to check constantly), until you get a nice golden crust on the fruit.
7. While the fruit is in the oven, add bourbon, 2 Tbsp. sugar and orange juice to a small saucepan. Heat on medium until the mixture reduces to about 1/4 cup.
8. Drizzle “bruleed” fruit with Old Fashioned Reduction.

Check out more delicious, boozy creations from fellow Recipe ReDuxers by clicking on the link below.