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Apple Cider Recipes from Scratch

Bhakti Satalkar
If you have apples in abundance, then you can make apple cider using a simple recipe. No doubt, you will have to spend some time on it, but the efforts are certainly rewarding. Read on to know more about such recipes.
Whenever apple cider is mentioned, it takes me back to my childhood days. The very aroma of this drink is enchanting. For a number of people, apple cider prepared at home is a favorite beverage.
Once you take a look at the recipe, you will agree that making this beverage is not a difficult process. Contrary to popular belief, this beverage is an American tradition. There are different ways in which this drink can be served. You can either choose to serve it warm or cold, alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

Making Apple Cider from Scratch
There are different recipes which one can use to make apple cider from scratch. Here are four important recipes. They are apple juice, apple cider, and hard cider.
Apple juice is filtered apple cider, which has been watered down and has sweeteners added. Apple cider is made from oxidized pulp of apple, which lends it a brown color. Hard cider is an alcoholic beverage, which is fermented using yeast derived from apple cider.

Easy Apple Cider Recipe

This is one of the easiest recipes to make this beverage. It requires a very limited set of ingredients which are mostly available at home.
Ingredients:
  • 10 apples
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 tbsp. allspice
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
Method:
▶ Wash the apples and dry them well. Cut them into quarters.
▶ Place them in a pot of water. The apples should be immersed in water. Add sugar to the water.
▶ Place cinnamon sticks and allspice in a cheesecloth and tie it up. Immerse the cheesecloth into the water.
▶ Boil the mixture for about an hour on high flame. Keep stirring it at regular intervals.
▶ After an hour, reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for two hours.
▶ Remove the spices and mash the apples to form a pulp.
▶ When the mixture cools down, pour the mixture through a strainer.
▶ Extract all the juice from the apple pulp that remains on the strainer.
▶ Place the cider in a bottle and store it in the refrigerator.

Hot Apple Cider Recipe

This is one of the most flavorful drinks which requires fresh apple cider as an ingredient.
Ingredients:
  • 1 gallon fresh apple cider
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. whole allspice
  • 1 tsp. whole cloves
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
Method:
▶ Pour fresh apple cider in a slow cooker and add sugar to it.
▶ In a cheesecloth, place allspice, cloves, and cinnamon and tie up the cheesecloth. Suspend the cheesecloth in a slow cooker.
▶ Bring the cider to a boil, but continue to stir at regular intervals. However, the pot should not be covered.
▶ When the cider comes to a boil, let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, so that the cider is infused with spices.
▶ Remove the cheesecloth from the cider and pour this delicious drink into glasses.

Hard Apple Cider Recipe

This is a simple recipe which makes use of calvados to make hard apple cider. Calvados is nothing but dry apple brandy.
Ingredients:
  • 6 cups apple juice
  • 4 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 cup calvados
  • 1 apple
  • 2½ tsp. allspice
  • ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 8 cloves
Method:
▶ Place the spices in a cheesecloth and tie them up. Core and slice the apple.
▶ In a saucepan combine brown sugar, apple juice, cored apple and spices.
▶ Cover the saucepan and let the mixture come to a boil.
▶ When the mixture comes to a rolling boil, taper the heat down and let the mixture simmer for another 5 - 10 minutes. Remove it from heat.
▶ Then add calvados and stir continuously.
▶ Place the saucepan on the stove and heat the mixture without covering it.
▶ Strain the mixture and remove spices from it.
▶ Serve with freshly cut apple pieces.

Alcoholic Apple Cider Recipe

This recipe is different from the previous recipes as it contains alcoholic drink added to it. Besides this it also requires quite a few ingredients to prepare it.
Ingredients:
  • 2 quarts apple cider
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup dark rum
  • 2 teaspoons whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 apple
  • 1 orange, thinly sliced
  • 1 pinch grated nutmeg
  • Cinnamon sticks (for garnishing)
Method:
▶ Insert the cloves into the apple.
▶ Place the apple, along with apple cider, orange, sugar, and all the spices tied up in a cheesecloth in the saucepan.
▶ Let the mixture come to a boil and let it simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.
▶ Remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the mixture.
▶ When the mixture cools down add rum to the mixture and serve immediately and garnish with apple pieces.
The recipes are quite easy, aren't they? So, why wait? Sport an apron and head to your kitchen. Make some tasty and refreshing apple cider.