Slow-cooker Blackberry Cordial

Total Time: 4 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• 6 cups blackberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lemon, zested in strips
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/4 cups brandy (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, crush berries and sugar with potato masher.
• 2 add to slow cooker and stir in 1 qt water, peppercorns, bay leaves, and lemon zest.
• 3 cover and cook over low heat for 2-1/2 hours. stir, increase heat to high, and cook 1-1/2 hours
• 4 strain through fine mesh sieve without pressing on berries. stir maple syrup into blackberry juice and let cool.
• 5 stir in brandy, if using. refrigerate up to 1 month.
• 6 with brandy use as a cocktail with seltzer over ice, or as a sauce for lamb or chicken.
• 7 without brandy, whisk with olive oil for a vinaigrette, or simmer until thick and pour over pancakes, waffles, or ice cream.