Red Wine Wassail Food

MULLED WINE (WASSAIL RECIPE)

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a large slow cooker. Cover and turn on high for at least 3 hours, or on low for at least 5 hours.
• Ladle the hot mulled wine into glasses or mugs. Garnish with the fruit and cinnamon sticks.

WASSAIL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the apples into an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish. Spoon the brown sugar into the center of each apple, dividing the sugar evenly among them. Pour the water into the bottom of the dish and bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
• Pour the ale and Madeira into a large slow cooker. Put the cloves, allspice, and cinnamon into a small muslin bag or cheesecloth, tied with kitchen twine, and add to the slow cooker along with the ginger and nutmeg. Set the slow cooker to medium heat and bring the mixture to at least 120 degrees F. Do not boil.
• Add the egg whites to a medium bowl and using a hand mixer, beat until stiff peaks form. Put the egg yolks into a separate bowl and beat until lightened in color and frothy, approximately 2 minutes. Add the egg whites to the yolks and using the hand mixer, beat, just until combined. Slowly add 4 to 6 ounces of the alcohol mixture from the slow cooker to the egg mixture, beating with the hand mixer on low speed. Return this mixture to the slow cooker and whisk to combine.
• Add the apples and the liquid from the baking dish to the wassail and stir to combine. Ladle into cups and serve.

HOMEMADE WASSAIL

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine all of the nonalcoholic ingredients and simmer for at least thirty minutes, preferably over an hour.
• Use a jigger or shot glass to measure bourbon into mugs. Pour in your hot spiced cider. Ideas for garnishing: cinnamon sticks, star anise, lemon slices and/or thinly sliced red apple (highly recommended).

SLOW COOKER WASSAIL

Steps:

• Combine the juices, honey, cloves, cinnamon sticks, ginger, lemons and oranges in the slow cooker.
• Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours. The longer it cooks, the more the flavor from the spices will permeate the wassail.
• If desired, remove the cinnamon, citrus slices, cloves and ginger with a slotted spoon before serving. Float the cranberries in the tops of the glasses for garnish and serve warm.

RED-WINE WASSAIL

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or kettle, combine the apple juice, sugar, almonds and raisins; slowly stir in the red wine.
• Take a large piece of cheesecloth and place the cinnamon sticks and 24 whole cloves on it; with string, tie it up to make a small bundle and drop this into the red wine mixture.
• Heat slowly over low heat; don't let it boil.
• Meanwhile, make this unique garnish: stuff the centre of each apple with 3 tbsp sugar and stick each apple with a few whole cloves.
• Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and place the apples in it; bake, covered, at 350F for 45 minutes.
• Bake the apples about an hour or so before you want to serve the wassail.
• Pour the heated wassail into a large punch bowl, discarding the spice bag, and then add the baked apples; they are a treat for those still around when the wassail is gone!

WHITE WINE WASSAIL

Steps:

• In a large pot, place water, apple juice concentrate, orange juice concentrate, apricot nectar, lemonade concentrate, and brown sugar.
• Tie cloves in a small piece of cheesecloth and secure with kitchen twine and drop in the pot, leaving a piece of twine where you can fish it out or place them in a large tea ball (this prevents you from having to strain the wassail later).
• Tie cinnamon sticks together with some kitchen twine, leaving some of the twine where you can fish it out.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
• Remove cloves and cinnamon from wassail.
• Add wine to wassail, and stir gently.
• Garnish with apple slices, if desired.
• Keep warm and serve from pot or you may decide to serve from the warm setting on a crockpot.