By Laura | Laura the Gastronaut
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 3 hours | Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Yield: ~10 servings
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Nothing beats a nice warm cup of homemade apple cider. This cider is made with fresh apples, fall spices, and a bit of brown sugar. It's smells amazing, tastes delicious, and is so cozy. You can add in some spiced rum to make it boozy or keep it non-alcoholic. Either way, it's good! Perfect for those cool fall days.
• 10 apples, quartered; of different varities
• 1 orange, peeled & segmented
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark
• 2 2" long by 1/4" thick pieces fresh ginger, peeled
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves, crushed
• 6 whole allspice
• 1/2 whole nutmeg, grated
• Pinch of black pepper
• ~10 cups water
• 2 star anise
• Optional: 1 1/2 to 2 cups spiced rum, or some other liquor
➊ In a large stockpot, add in apples, orange, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and black pepper. Then add in enough water for all to be just covered. In my Dutch Oven, I use about 10 cups of water.
➋ Place over high heat until simmering then lower heat to maintain a simmer. Cover, and let simmer for 2 hours.
➌ After 2 hours, mash the apples with a potato masher or back of a spoon. Continue to simmer, with lid on, for at least an additional hour. The longer it simmers, the more flavorful the cider will be.
➍ When ready to serve, strain cider through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the solids. Pour cider back into the large stockpot.
➎ Add in the star anise. If using, add in liquor. Put pot over low heat, and heat just until warmed. Right before serving, remove star anise.
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Find recipe at: https://laurathegastronaut.com/homemade-apple-cider