Moms Mulled Cider Food

MULLED CIDER

Steps:

• Boil the cider to 175 degrees F.
• Add the cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise and orange zest. Remove from the heat and add the maple syrup. Stir.
• Strain the cider into mugs. Garnish with orange wedges studded with cloves.

MULLED CIDER

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer on the grates of the grill or over a burner. Divide among individual mugs and serve hot.

MULLED CIDER

Steps:

• Put the cider in a large saucepan. Strip the peel from the orange in long strips with a vegetable peeler, taking care not to take off the bitter white pith. Add to the pan. Then squeeze the orange juice into the cider (straining out the seeds). Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise.
• Heat cider over medium heat, then simmer very gently until fragrant, about 15 minutes. Serve.
• Copyright 2009, Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

HOT MULLED CIDER (NON-ALCOHOLIC)

Steps:

• In a large saucepan combine cider and brown sugar.
• For spice bag: Place all spices in a cheesecloth or muslin bag and secure.
• Add spice bag to cider mixture and bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove and discard spice bag.
• Serve cider in mugs with a clove studded orange wedge and a cinnamon stirrer.

MOM'S MULLED CIDER

Steps:

• 1. Pour cider into pot. I use a party-sized coffee maker, but you could use a large dutch oven or stock pot.
• 2. Mix the remaining ingredients together and place them in the basket of the coffee maker. If you're using a pot on the stove, you can stir in the sugar, then tie up the spices in a piece of cheesecloth. Or just let them float, and strain as you serve.
• 3. Plug it in, and let it perk until it's done. The perking time varies from about 20-45 minutes, depending on the pot. Or heat to almost boiling, then reduce heat to simmer 30-60 min. Then reduce heat just to keep warm. It's ready to enjoy. The flavors get richer and deeper as it stays warm in the pot.
• 4. NOTES: You can use either light or dark brown sugar, as you like -- the results are surprisingly different. Try it both ways! The recipe is easy to halve or multiply, to fit your needs. I make several spice recipes at once and just measure the ingredients right into zip-top sandwich bags. Then I just pop them into the deep freeze for quick prep later during the busy holiday season. The mix also makes wonderful home-made gifts -- for a teacher or colleague, for example -- in a decorative cello bag with a festive ribbon!

SIMPLE MULLED CIDER BY THE MUG (FOR ONE)

Steps:

• Fill a large mug @ 2/3 full with apple cider and top up with water.
• Sprinkle a little cinnamon and nutmeg on top. Nuke in microwave until hot -- about 2 minutes 20 seconds.
• Remove from microwave and add a few drops of lemon juice (optional). Enjoy!

MULLED CIDER

Steps:

• In a saucepan, mix cider, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon with brown sugar.
• Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.
• Remove spices and serve hot, or allow mulled cider to chill and serve cold.

MOM'S MULLED CIDER FOR THE CROCK POT

Steps:

• Set a medium or large crock pot to HIGH heat.
• Fill crock pot with cider- leaving room for the apple and orange to float around (we'll get to them in a minute).
• You will have extra cider at this point- use this for replenishing later.
• Wash the orange and apple and dry off.
• Poke cloves into the flesh of the orange and the apple- as many as you like.
• Set the cloves studded fruit into the crock pot.
• Add cinnamon sticks and some brown sugar to taste.
• Using a vegetable peeler, cut off two long strips of lemon rind from one of the lemons, being careful not to get any of the white pith.
• Drop these into the cider pot and save the rest of the partially zested lemon for another use.
• Slice the remaining lemon into thin slices and drop 4-5 slices into the cider pot.
• Save the remaining slices for later or another use (I set them in a dish for guests to use as garnish).
• Cover crock pot and let mixture come to almost a boil (this may take up to an hour- this will vary greatly depending upon the size of your crock pot).
• Once it is almost boiling,sprinkle with a very light dash of each ground spice to taste (don't add too much or it will be gritty).
• Turn the heat down to LOW and allow cider to cook at least another hour before serving.
• Leave the crock pot on LOW and allow guests to ladle out mugfuls.
• Keep replenishing more cider as the crockpot empties.
• You will NOT need to add more spices, etc, as long as you still have 1/4 of the original mulled cider left in the crock.
• No need to return to a boil, just pour in the new cider and continue to heat on LOW.
• The last dregs of cider will be very heavily spiced- I usually discard the remaining 1/4 of liquid after I am finished replenishing the cider for the day.