Spiced Apple Cider
When we originally made our mulling blend, we thought of the movie "It's a Wonderful Life." Jimmy Stewart's angel asked the bartender for a glass of mulled wine, "heavy on the cinnamon, easy on the cloves." He got it exactly right, as too many cloves can overpower the other spices and make the overall flavor somewhat bitter. We made our blend exactly to the angel's instructions! In addition to hot apple cider, the mulling spices are wonderful to make mulled red wine (use 1 tablespoon per 750 ml bottle) or holiday brandy.
Yield: Up to 12 servings
Preparation Instructions:
The most convenient way to use mulling spices is to place them in a muslin bag, but a tea strainer will work just as well.
*Heat a small pot of water, about 4 or 5 cups. Place the bag of mulling spices in water, and simmer for about 15 minutes This step releases the stronger essential oils in the spices and makes for a well rounded flavor profile.
Dump out water and save the bag bag of spices. In a large pot, add the apple cider, spices, and bring to a simmer. Lower the temperature so the cider is just simmering with small bubbles. Simmer for up to an hour.
Pour cider into cups and garnish each cup with a cinnamon stick stirrer.
*For a stronger spiced apple cider, skip the water simmering step and add the spices right to the simmering apple cider.
thespicehouse.com
More About This Recipe
You can also customize this recipe in many ways. Try using pear cider or even white grape juice instead of apple cider. Add lemon or orange peel to the pot for some citrus flavors. Let a vanilla bean steep in the pot for an extra luxurious flavor. Norman apple or pear brandy (calvados) or cognac go really well with this recipe. If you have a twist on the recipe, let us know in the comments below!
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