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Since the clocks went back last week it’s been absolutely baltic here in lil old Wales and no better time is there to get the winter spices bubbling away in some real medicine to warm the cockles.

It was bonfire night on Saturday so I thought there’s no better occasion to get the first batch of mulled cider on the stove for a walk into Cardiff to watch the fireworks by the castle. There are loads of recipes online for mulled cider but I’ve concocted what I think is the best one I’ve sampled yet, well it is made by yours truly so I’m not at all biased! Oh and mine contains a little bit of extra chest warming capabilities in my special ingredient…spiced rum.

Mulled cider and spiced rum recipe (enough for at least 4 glasses)

  • 1 litre of your favourite cider – I used 2 x cans of Thatchers Gold
  • 250ml of good quality apple juice or more if you want a less potent mix
  • 75ml of spiced rum or like me I used 50ml Sailor Jerry’s plus 25ml cider brandy
  • 4 star anise
  • 4 sticks of cinnamon
  • 1 apple sliced in half then into smaller slithers
  • Stick a single clove into about 6 of the slices of apple
  • 1/4 of an orange sliced
  • 5 all spice berries if you can find them or half a teaspoon of sound all spice
  • 2 teaspoons of brown sugar

 

How to make the mulled cider and spiced rum

Put all the ingredients into a saucepan, give it a stir and put on a low to medium heat to gently heat the mixture. The idea is not to boil the alcohol that would just be a waste and we don’t want that now do we?

Have a spoon to hand to check it by tasting it every couple of minutes but should take about 10 minutes depending on the power of your hob.

Once you’re happy with the temperature making sure it doesn’t melt anyones lips off, use a ladle and pour into 4 glass mason jars and try to get some of the star anise, cinnamon stick and fruit into each one to allow the flavours to continue to impart some of their wintery magic into each glass.

Tip: If you’ve got a slow cooker I did a batch last Christmas day putting everything in the slow cooker on high about an hour before our Christmas dinner was served and had it with our food for an extra Christmassy treat.