Maybe you're savvy to that information but I was not. Cider is raw apple juice that has not undergone a filtration process to remove coarse particles of pulp or sediment, whereas the juice has. Removing these particles helps the apple juice stay fresh longer.
Here is a mulled apple cider recipe from Pioneer woman, Ree Drummond, that tastes SO good! It's not difficult to make and includes an "adult version" with rum. I skipped that part this time. I used store-bought apple cider since I didn't have fresh apples...or a juicer. The only thing I would do differently next time is cut the amount of maple syrup in half.
Hot Apple Cider
Ingredients
- 4 whole Cinnamon Sticks
- 1/8 teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 8 whole Allspice Berries
- Orange Peel From 1 Orange
- Lemon Peel From 1 Lemon
- 1/2 cup Maple Syrup
- 6 cups Unfiltered (fresh Squeezed Is Great) Apple Juice
- 1/2 cup Dark Rum (optional)
If you have whole cloves, the conversion is 3 whole cloves=1/4 tsp ground, so use about 1 1/2 whole cloves. If you have ground allspice on hand instead of whole, the conversion would be 6 whole berries to 1/4 to 1/2 tsp, so I would suggest using a healthy 1/4 tsp. I used a vegetable peeler to remove the orange and lemon peels to avoid getting too much of the pith (white stuff). Add a cinnamon stick to each cup when serving to "fancy" it up a little.
Preparation Instructions
(Adapted from AllRecipes.com.)
Place cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, allspice berries, orange peel, and lemon peel in a medium saucepan.
Place cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, allspice berries, orange peel, and lemon peel in a medium saucepan.
