If you want the perfect winter beverage, there are few things better than mulled cider particularly when made with Cornish cider! Theres nothing better to keep you warm and toasty on a chilly winter evening. The smell of the spices will fill your home with a cosy ambience that will truly make it feel like Christmas every day!
What is Mulled Cider?
Mulled cider dates back hundreds of years, to the Wassail Night celebrations held all over England on January 5th, a Medieval Christmastide English drinking ritual intended to ensure a good cider apple harvest the following year.
Mulled wine is a drink that has been around since the Romans, but the British decided they had to have their own version. Apples are grown in abundance in England, so apple cider has always been much cheaper and more available than wine.
Just like mulled wine, mulled cider is basically hot apple cider that has been simmered with a variety of spices and herbs, giving it a rich, spicy flavour that combines perfectly with the warmth of the drink. It makes for an ideal beverage to enjoy on a cold winter’s night.
Ingredients (Makes 4 servings)
- 1 litre Cornish cider (see recommended below)
- 1 glass of good apple juice
- 6 cloves
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 200ml sloe gin or spiced rum (optional)
- 1 or 2 sliced oranges
- honey or sugar to taste
- 1 log fire
Method
- To make enough to serve 4, pour 1 litre Cornish cider into a saucepan and add a glass of good apple juice if you like.
- Add 6 cloves and 4 cinnamon sticks, cover and bring slowly to the boil.
- As soon as it starts to simmer turn off the heat and add 200ml sloe gin/spiced rum (optional, but highly recommended) and 1 or 2 sliced oranges.
- Taste, and add a little honey or sugar if you want.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick, star anise and orange slice
- Serve straight away by a log fire!
Recommended Cornish Ciders
Cornish Orchards Gold 5.0% ABV – Perfect easy drinking staple choice
Healeys Cornish Rattler Original 6.0% ABV – Perfect for those who want a little more kick to their drink
Harvest Moon, Porth Valley Cidermakers 4.5% ABV – A beautifully balanced cider, with natural apple flavours and aromas.
Recommended Cornish Sloe Gin
The Wrecking Coast Distillery – Honey Sloe Gin 34.5% ABV – A stunning flavoursome sloe gin made just up the coast near Tintagel.
Recommended Cornish Spiced Rum
The Cornish Distilling Co. – Mooncurser Spiced Rum 37.5% ABV – Offers notes of vanilla, orange and caramel, followed by warm nutmeg and cinnamon.
