italian dessert recipes

Berry Sangria Recipe

"Really simple!"




berry sangria A berry sangria is a flexible recipe - as far a choice of fruit. Many of my Italian drinks aren't this forgiving. BUT here's the main take away - you gotta follow the preparation or you just won't get a decent flavor. (If you forgot click here - how to make sangria.)

For a berry sangria you can work with a pound of berries from the fruit list below. BUT be cautious. Don't buy them too ripe. Any combination works. I did list grapes even though they aren't a berry. And here's why - they absorb that yummy alcohol flavor. They just combo well.



Thanks for stopping by -

Lisa

Owner and Developer of Italian Dessert Recipes
PS: See the substitution section below for liqueur ideas and other tidbits.

Oh, and if this wasn't what you were looking for here's a list of the other sangria recipes I have on my site:
Sangria Recipes










Berry Sangria





INGREDIENTS * 1 bottle red wine
(don't think too hard about the wine - just get a red)

* 3/4 cup berry liqueur or berry/grape vodka (see ideas below)

* 1/8 cup white sugar

* 1 pound of any berry combo listed below

* Club Soda to splash with (optional)



Procedure

 * You will need to have some grapes. This will be the only fruit that will absorb the alcohol. (Yes, I know these aren't "berries". But you need 'em.)

* Slice the grapes in half and place them in a bowl. (Do some math - if your grapes are half of your fruit - then allot half of the sugar and liqueur to them)

* Press the sugar into the sliced grapes.

* Just press. Don't pound or beat up.

* Pour the vodka (or whatever liqueur you chose) over the pressed grapes.

* Cover and let the grapes/booze mixture rest AT LEAST 15 minutes.

* AFTER the minimum 15 minutes of sitting, place wine and grapes/booze mixture in the sangria pitcher.

* Put your pitcher in the refrigerator to ALLOW THE DRINK TO SIT at least half a day. (Really!)

* Just before serving take your other fruit (strawberries and/or blueberries) and cut the strawberries in half. Don't quarter them. And don't do anything to the blueberries.

* Press remaining sugar into strawberries and pour remaining liqueur over the blue berries and strawberries.

* Add to the pitcher. Pour into glasses and splash with club soda if you wish.



Substitutions and Questions



What berries work best in a berry sangria?


Not as many as you think. Mainly because the berries decompose in the alcohol.

  • Strawberries


  • Grapes


  • Blueberries


    • Do NOT use raspberries or blackberries unless it's for last minute garnish. They will decompose and make the drink look bloody and like unidentified ocean debris if you let them sit over a few minutes.

    What wine makes the best berry sangria?


    That's like a politics religious question in the middle of church or a fund-raiser dinner. You just choose. You're the cook. And the cook is always right.

    Need liqueur ideas?


    So, if you are making a berry sangria - wouldn't a berry flavored liqueur work? YUP it would. Besides all those berry liqueurs and vodka there's always the stand-by Triple Sec.



    Why two fruit stages?


    You want the fruit to absorb the liqueur you choose. And then you want the flavors to mingle. The strawberries can't make it half day in the pitcher with the wine if they are ripe. They turn colorless and look like things floating in the ocean. The blueberries aren't candidates for slicing or absorbing. They are just for pretties.



    Back to the berry sangria recipe.



    
    Italian Drinks








    
    Lisa Gianotti

    Memorial Day and Warmer Weather Treats!



    It's finally warming up! In my neck of the woods we had SNOW on May 2nd. Now were on to the warm weather sweet treats!

    I started celebrating by having a Sangria last night. Sangria is so easy to make - and the trick to making it spectacular is - following the super easy procedure. IF you need a brush up see:

    How to Make Sangria

    As for Memorial Day Goodies - I bake the LESS sticky stuff if I have to travel. And something that the kids can grab with their fingers as they cruise by the dessert table and run off to their next game. Cookies and brownies work the best for this!

    The past month, these are my top five most viewed cookie recipes:

    #1 Anisette Cookies

    #2 Italian Wedding Cookie Recipe

    #3 Pizzelle Recipe

    #4 Ricotta Cheese Cookies

    #5 Meringue Cookie Recipe

    Have a fun filled Memorial Day!



    Lisa


    Would you like to share this page? You know how to do it! Thanks for sharing the sugar love!



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    Recipes on this site are from family cookbooks, family traditions, or intentional adaptations from traditional recipes to add an Italian flair. If a recipe was adapted or used from another cook - it is mentioned on the recipe page and the recipe author is given credit.