Spiced Apple Punch, Mulled Cider and Seriously Scrummy Mulled Cider

With winter approaching it is good to have some delicious hot drinks to revive the spirit and bring good cheer; and a tasty mulled drink is hard to beat especially on frosty days or at parties.

It is also an essential element of any successful Wassail!

You can either put individual spices into your mix or use ready made spice bags which usually contain a mixture of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and mace. We are giving a free sample away (sufficient for 2 gallons of drinks) with every order placed during the Christmas Sale.

We think children also deserve a treat so, in a spirit of fairness, we offer non-alcoholic version using apple juice as well as the standard mulled cider recipe which can have a seriously adult twist by the addition of some spirit!

Spiced Apple Punch

• 2 litres / 4pints apple juice
• either 2 sachets of mulling spices
• or 6 cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves, 2 star anise, 2 blades of mace and a small piece of bruised stem ginger
• 2 thinly sliced Cox apples
• 2 thinly sliced oranges
• 2 lemons juiced

Put the juice and the spices into a stainless steel pan and heat to a slow simmer allowing the spices to infuse for 20mins. Add the juice of the lemons and the slices of apple and orange.

Serve in heat proof glasses.

Mulled Cider

Once folk have the taste for it, mulled cider is usually consumed in large quantities!

• 2 litres of best dry cider – your own preferably!
• either 2 sachets of mulling spices
• or 6 cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves, 2 star anise, 2 blades of mace and a small piece of bruised stem ginger
• 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Lemon juice to taste

Put the cider and spices into a stainless steel pan or for large parties into a Vigo pasteuriser (stockcodes: 96400 or 96401) set at around 80ºC. Heat the cider to just below boiling point and hold on a slow simmer for 20 mins – do not boil as this will drive off the alcohol.

Add the sugar and lemon juice to taste and serve in heat proof glasses.

Seriously Scrummy Mulled Cider

The mulled cider recipe can be fortified by a glug or two of Cider Brandy – a real winter warmer!