One problem I have with a cider recipes is that they all seem to be designed to feed 50 people. I made this in a relatively small batch with measurements that are easily doubled to use the whole container of cider. Hot Caramel Apple Cider Recipe by Our Best Bites 1/2 gallon apple cider (64 oz or 8 C) 1/2 C orange juice, fresh squeezed or good quality bottled like Simply Orange 1 orange 8 cloves 2 cinnamon sticks (if yours are more than a year old- buy new ones!!) 1/4 t ground allspice 1/3 C jarred caramel sauce* more to taste if needed optional: caramel flavored syrup sweetened whipped cream (or from a can is fine!) *For a delicious twist, substitute maple syrup for the caramel sauce in this recipe. First off, let’s talk apple cider vs apple juice. Right off the bat I should mention to our international readers (I know, how cool does that sound?) here in the US apple cider does not refer to an alcoholic beverage like it does overseas. The main difference between cider and juice is that cider doesn’t go through all of the filtering processes that apple juice does, so it still has a lot of pulp and apple sediment in there. Check out this picture: See how clear the juice is? A good apple cider should look kind of murky and when you shake it you should be able to see lots of pulp and stuff swirling around. It seems like there aren’t too many regulations when it comes to labeling because I still see some brands of apple cider in the stores that are indistinguishable from apple juice. The biggest difference, however, is the taste. Apple juice is super sweet, yet watered down and not very flavorful. Apple cider is so flavorful it almost has a little zing to it. It really tastes like fresh apples all mushed up…because that’s what it is! Don’t even attempt this recipe with apple juice. You should be able to find apple cider just about anywhere these days. Look for one like this that is clearly labeled as cider, is made from 100% juice, and has no added anything! Enough on that. Let’s make this stuff. Begin by pouring 8 C of apple cider into a large stock pot on the stove pot. Set heat to medium-high. Add orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and allspice. And since I have a feeling people will ask… no, I wouldn’t substitute ground cinnamon or cloves. For one thing, the whole spices taste a lot better, but also ground spices will just add grainy pulp to the mixture. I used ground allspice because it’s a small amount and sometimes whole allspice berries are difficult to find. Thoroughly wash your orange and then gently stab the whole cloves into it. If you find it hard to do that without destroying the cloves, use a toothpick to poke little hole first and then insert the cloves. This is brilliant (if I don’t say so myself) because it eliminates the need for a little bag to hold your cloves, and stabbing them in the orange releases oils and lots of yummy flavor! (If you are doubling the recipe, you can still just use one orange, just double the number of cloves you poke into it). Gently drop the whole orange into the pot. Bring cider to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Simmer on low for 60 minutes and longer if you wish. If you’re keeping the pot on the stove for an extended period, keep an eye on the orange. If at any time it splits open, remove it from the pot. If the white pith is exposed it will add a bitter taste to your cider. If you’re going to have the pot warming for hours on end, take out the orange. After you’ve simmered for an hour, add caramel sauce and stir to combine and dissolve. Add more caramel to taste if needed. When ready to serve, ladle into mugs, top with whipped cream, and give it a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of cinnamon! I mentioned in the ingredients that you could optionally add a shot of flavored syrup. You can find these types of syrups in the coffee isle of most grocery stores. You could also try the Starbucks brand. The caramel sauce in a jar called for in the recipe gives a very mellow caramel flavor; it’s really more for sweetness, so if you want the flavor to be more distinct, a shot of coffee style syrup is your best bet. And there you have it. I can’t think of anything more perfect for a cool fall day. And it’s a heck of a lot better, and cheaper than a coffee shop! Make up a batch to sip while you carve pumpkins this week! Got cider? Use the rest in this or these!
And lastly a shout-out to all of you crafty kids who have been uploading pics to our facebook page. We love seeing your projects! Keep ’em comin’!
