Enjoy a mug of warm spiced cider while decorating your tree, or package a bottle of cider and spices as a hostess gift for a holiday party.
Mulled Cider
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 (50-ounce) jar apple juice or cider
- 1 packet Toasted Mulling Spices (recipe follows)
- 2 slices fresh orange
- Orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and honey whiskey (optional), to serve
Instructions
- In a large enamel-coated cast-iron Dutch oven, bring apple juice, Toasted Mulling Spices packet, and orange slices to a simmer over low heat. Cover and cook for 1 hour. Serve hot with orange, cinnamon sticks, and whiskey (if using).
Toasted Mulling Spices
Serves: About 2 cups
Ingredients
- 12 cinnamon sticks
- 1 (0.75-ounce) jar whole allspice berries
- ¼ cup whole cloves
- 6 tablespoons cardamom pods
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- ½ cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
- 10 paper tea filters
Instructions
- In a cast-iron skillet, cook cinnamon sticks, allspice, cloves, cardamom, and peppercorns over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, and let cool completely.
- Transfer spices to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; seal. Pound spices with a rolling pin or meat mallet until cinnamon sticks are broken into small pieces. Return spices to bowl; stir in ginger. Fill tea filters with about 3 tablespoons spice mixture each.
