A fresh fruit salad is one of the delights of summer. So many colorful and healthy berries are in season and easily available at this time of year.
However, it can quickly get monotonous unless you add something special to spice up the recipe.
One way to vary a summer fruit salad recipe is to use liqueurs, like Grand Marnier, to make a sauce for your desserts.
What is Grand Marnier?
Grand Marnier is a French orange-flavored cognac brandy. It was created in 1880 at Neauphle-le-Château, France by Louis-Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle.
Paris was buzzing with excitement in the late 19th century as the “Belle Epoque,” France’s version of the Gilded Age in the United States, was in full swing. And while the French have a long tradition of producing spirits, mixing distilled bitter orange with cognac was an audacious idea during that heady time.
Marnier-Lapostelle originally sold his creation under the name “Curaçao Marnier. ”
However, Cesar Ritz, the founder of the glamorous Ritz Hotel in Paris, was one of its earliest fans. He renamed the liqueur “Le Grand Marnier.”
It soon became a must-have drink at every elegant Parisian party.
4 ways to use Grand Marnier “Cordon Rouge” in cooking
Grand Marnier is not just for drinking: the orange, vanilla, and toffee flavors are delicious when used in the following four ways:
- to make sauces for both sweet and savoury dishes
- in pastries
- in soufflés
- in other desserts like the famous Crêpes Suzette
It’s a must-have ingredient for a French-inspired kitchen!
RECIPE for a Summer Fruit Salad: Mixed berries with a Grand Marnier sauce
Here’s an easy way to make a Grand Marnier sauce to pour over a summer fruit salad of mixed berries:
(Serves 6 )
Ingredients:
- 6 egg yolks
- ½ cup of sugar
- ¼ cup of Grand Marnier “Cordon Rouge”
- 1 pint of heavy cream, whipped
- 4 pints of berries (1 pint each of blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries)
Instructions:
-Beat egg yolks with sugar over a double boiler on medium-high heat until the yolks are thick and creamy.
-Whisk in the Grand Marnier.
-Let the sauce cool off the heat
-Gently fold the whipped cream into the Grand Marnier sauce.
-Serve the mixed berries in individual bowls topped with the Grand Marnier cream sauce.
French-inspired serving bowls for Grand Marnier Summer Fruit Salad
Villeroy & Boch Fleurence Dessert Bowl on Amazon.com
La Rochere Napoleon Bee Ice Cream Dessert Dishes set of 6 on Amazon.com
Lenox French Perle Groove All-Purpose Bowls Set of 4 on Amazon.com
What are the different versions of Grand Marnier?
Le Cordon Rouge
The “Cordon Rouge” is the most famous and widely distributed of the Grand Marnier products. Its original bottle, with a red ribbon and red wax seal, is so pretty I think it looks like perfume! (see the photo of my bottle above)
Originally, the Grand Marnier “Cordon Rouge” version, made with 51% cognac, was created to be used in mixed drinks or as a “digestif” to drink straight, not mixed, after dinner.
Le Cordon Jaune
The Cordon Jaune does not contain cognac and has only a neutral alcohol. So it can be considered as a triple sec. This was actually the original orange liqueur to which Louis-Alexandre Marnier added cognac, creating the Grand Marnier version.
La Cuvée Alexandre
Other Grand Marnier products, like the “Cuvée Alexandre,” created in the 1970s, contain 82% cognac and are only for drinking, not mixing.
La Cuvée Centenaire
Grand Marnier also created the “Cuvée Centenaire” for the company’s 100th anniversary.
It’s a mix of exceptional cognacs and rare exotic bitter orange essences. This special blend is for sipping straight or over ice.
Quintessence
Other exceptional liqueurs, like the Grand Marnier “Quintessence,” was created in 2011 and is an assembly of very old cognacs between 25 and 70 years old from the Grande Champagne region.
Its cristal carafe bottle is handmade by Baccarat.
La Grande Cuvée Révélation
Described by Grand Marnier as the ultimate cognac experience, this is a rare blend of XXO cognac and orange essence.
It has 48 eaux de vie from the Grande Champagne region and is aged a minimum of 14 years.
Glasses for serving Grand Marnier
Various types of glasses are used to sip different versions of Grand Marnier
Tuliped-shaped glasses and Snifters:
Tulip-shaped and Snifter glasses are perfect for sipping the exceptional Grand Marnier blends.
Their form traps the flavours of the liqueur in the wide body of the glass and then concentrate the aromas in the narrower opening at the top.
Single Brandy Snifter Cognac Glass by Hemswell Crystal on Amazon.com
Riedel Veritas Spirits Glass set of 2 on Amazon.com
Cocktail & Martini glasses
Other glasses are perfect for mixed drinks made with Grand Marnier. For example, a Martini glass for a Cosmopolitan or a Cocktail glass for a Sidecar.
Riedel Vinum Martini Glass (6-Pack) on Amazon.com
Riedel Nick & Nora Stemmed Cocktail Glass (set of 4) on Amazon.com
Conclusion:
Grand Marnier sauce , which is gluten-free, will enhance any plain summer fruit salad. In addition to being easy to make, it also goes well with other desserts like crepes or pound cake.
Grand Marnier is one of the great classic yet versatile French liqueurs. Here are 4 main ways to use it:
- sip it as an after-dinner drink
- mix it into cocktails
- add it to sauces for desserts
- add it to sauces for savoury dishes like fish or chicken
More Ideas: How do the French quickly jazz up simple starters and desserts?
The French add variety to dishes with simple, easy tricks while keeping them healthy.
For example, here’s a recipe for a summer tomato salad that you can spice up with vanilla.
And for another take on fruit salad, read about how the French love to add a splash of distilled flower water to enhance a fresh fruit salad.
And now you: Have you tried Grand Marnier? Send me an email and let me know!
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Photos courtesy of Unsplash and the author at nancyconway.com