Wassail or Mulled Cider

Name: Wassail or Mulled Cider
Ingredients: 4 ea medium Apples; 1 ea Orange; 12 cups Apple cider; 4 - 5 Tbsp Brown sugar; 1 tsp Ground cloves; 1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg; 1 Tbsp Butter; 3 - 4 ea Cinnamon sticks; Juice of one orange; 1/4 cup White sugar

December 9, 2006 Lynn R. - Home Cook

About

Wassail was traditionally made of sugar, ale, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, and used as a way of blessing the harvest by hailing the general good health of all living things. Later, both the Pagan and Christian clergy adopted the usage to also promote friendship and kinship. This recipe is from the 1500s.

Ingredients

Apples		4 ea medium
Orange		1 ea
Apple cider		12 cups
Brown sugar		4 - 5 Tbsp
Ground cloves		1 tsp
Ground nutmeg		1/2 tsp
Butter		1 Tbsp
Cinnamon sticks		3 - 4 ea
Juice of one orange
White sugar		1/4 cup

If you are following a plant-based diet and want to try this old fashioned recipe without using butter, consider using a vegan butter alternative. Make sure it is non-hydrogenated.

If you are following an animal-based diet (meat and fruit) you may wish to swap the brown and white sugar for honey. Start with a few tablespoons and add more if needed. Depending on how strict you need to be with your diet you may have to omit some or all of the spices or swap them for different ones. Health Coach Kate has a good article and video on this topic.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Peel, core, and halve apples. Place in baking dish and cover with 1 cup cider. Combine brown sugar, cloves and nutmeg; sprinkle over apples. Dot with butter. Bake 45 minutes or until very soft. Mash and set aside.
In large saucepan, combine remaining cider, orange juice, cinnamon sticks and sugar. Simmer 30 minutes. Pour into decorative bowl and top with apple mash.