Varenukha with dried fruits
4 servings
750 minutes
Recipe from Max Bradarsky, head bartender of the Russian Pub.
1
Soak the dried fruits in vodka for 6 hours to swell.
- Vodka: 1 l
- Dried apples: 20 g
- Dried cherries: 20 g
- Dried prunes: 20 g
- Smoked pear: 20 g
2
Make a simple dough from flour and water with a little oil. Proportions don't matter — it just needs to be kneadable like clay: it's needed as a sealant for the gaps between the pot and the lid, through which alcohol can evaporate.
- Unleavened dough: 1 piece
3
Take a clay pot suitable for baking in the oven, and place dried fruits along with alcohol in it.
- Dried apples: 20 g
- Dried cherries: 20 g
- Dried prunes: 20 g
- Smoked pear: 20 g
- Vodka: 1 l
4
Put honey and spices in the pot.
- Honey: 150 g
- Ground ginger: 0.3 teaspoon
- Cinnamon sticks: 1 piece
- Cloves: 3 pieces
- Allspice: 3 pieces
- Bay leaf: 1 piece
5
Seal the lid with dough so there are no gaps.
- Unleavened dough: 1 piece
6
Preheat the oven to 50 degrees. Place the pot with all the contents in the oven.
7
Leave the pot in the oven for 10-12 hours.
8
Take the pot out of the oven, let it cool a bit, and carefully open the lid.
9
Strain the boiled drink through a double layer of cheesecloth.
10
Pour the strained drink into heat-resistant clay mugs or glasses.