Apple Ciders: Making your own!

Spiced and Spiked Cider Recipe

Author: Adam and Joanne Gallagher

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  12 mins

Total time:  17 mins

Serves: 4

 

There is nothing more warming than this spiced cider on a cold winter night.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 whole star anise
• juice of 1 orange
• 4 cups apple cider
• 3/4 cup Tropic Isle spiced rum (use more/less, if desired)
• orange peel

Method

1. Add the cloves, cinnamon sticks and star anise to a large saucepan over medium heat; lightly toast the spices in the pan for 1 minute.
2. Add the orange juice and apple cider, simmer, but do not boil the cider for 10 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to low and add the rum.
4. Ladle the cider into serving mugs and garnish with a strip of orange peel. To keep warm, the cider can stay on very low heat while serving.

Hot Spiced Drunken Apple Cider

This recipe serves 8-10

• 1/2 gallon apple cider (I have used unfiltered)
• 3/4 bottle of Swallow gewurztraminer 
• 4-5 sticks of cinnamon
• 4-5 cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise
• 3-4 tablespoons honey (depends on how sweet the wine you're using)
• cup or so of fresh cranberries (of cubes of apple if not in cranberry season)

1. Put the cider and all spices in a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. When on low heat add the wine. Do not boil again so the alcohol won't evaporate too much, just let it warm.
4. Add the cranberries and simmer for a few more minutes until they color the liquid a bit.

Now that apple season is officially here (and apple recipes are officially everywhere) it’s just about time for a nice hot cider.  And what hot drink couldn't be made better with a little tequila?

Heated Affair

2 oz Cavalino Anejo Tequila
6 oz Hot Spiced Apple Cider
Heavy Cream

Apple Cider Preparation:
In a pot add organic apple juice. Add winter spices like cloves, cinnamon stick, all spice, and orange peel. Start of by adding a few cloves, one cinnamon stick, etc…so as to find the right-spiced apple cider flavor. You can always add more spice later. Bring everything to a low heat for about 15 mins. Taste for flavor. When the desired flavor is reached then take off stove. Strain out all the spices and orange peel.

In a small warm wine glass add Tequila and hot apple cider. Float heavy cream.

Garnish: Grate fresh Nutmeg over cream.