A dram of bourbon isn’t just for drinking. Pouring bourbon into some of your favorite recipes is a chef-approved move that can build flavor in dishes ranging from pies and tarts to savory bowls of baked beans and marinade-soaked proteins destined for the grill. The tasting profile of bourbon is one that can play up the buttery, spicy elements in a bread recipe or bring forward some of the fruity, cereal notes in a batch of muffins. While many professionals have their go-to label to splash into dishes, Four Roses Bourbon is one that can add a subtle sweetness to baked treats.
Chef and co-owner of Capital Cooks cooking school Caroline Barrett admits that while this particular brand of bourbon packs a toothy bite, the sweetness of Four Roses can dance on your palate and build out flavor without overstepping the overall balance of taste within a recipe. In addition to a sweet, creamy aroma and a palate that offers waves of cinnamon and honey, Four Roses can bring forward citrusy elements in baked goodies, like the addition of orange zest or lemon extract. “Since it’s what we like to drink, it is what I end up using in baking,” Barrett explains to Tasting Table.
Round out sweeter tasting notes
If you want to get the most bang for your buck, having a bottle that you can enjoy sipping at the end of a long shift and also conveniently dump into batters and doughs is a win-win. While sipping a straight-up pour of Four Roses can coat your tongue with whispers of spiced fruit and honey, adding the booze to a recipe can complement some of the sweeter elements found in cookies, biscuits, and cakes. Whether you’re brushing bourbon onto brownies or sneaking the booze into tonight’s dinner rolls, Four Roses can answer the call of mouth-watering flavor without bowling over your recipes with an overpowering taste of alcohol.
Since the tasting profile of this particular bourbon is already light and smooth, it blends well into many dessert recipes. “My favorite recipe is a chocolate bourbon cake, complete with chocolate bourbon buttercream,” Barrett directs. Chocolate and bourbon always make for a dependably decadent combination, but you can also feast on moist slices of bourbon-infused vanilla cake or tuck bourbon into your next homemade batch of salted caramel sauce. After all, it is 5 o’clock somewhere.
