How about trying a fresh and natural apple cider as an alternative to the traditional mulled wine?
Natural apple juice with Christmas spices
This recipe is based on apple must/juice that does not come from concentrate. Both filtered and unfiltered apple cider will work, the most important thing is that it is natural, fresh and without additives. With its taste of Christmassy spices and a hint of lemon or orange, you might just have a new warming Christmas favorite!
The scent of cinnamon sticks, star anise and oranges sets the Christmas spirit!
📄 For four servings you will need:
1 liter apple juice/cider
2 cinnamon sticks
3-4 pieces star anise
6 clove nails
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
½ lemon or orange, sliced
👨🍳 How to make it:
Place apple juice, cinnamon sticks, anise, cloves, grated ginger and citrus in a saucepan and heat gently.
Leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
Serve hot in mugs or glasses. Garnish with apple and/or orange slices and a cinnamon stick.
If you don't have all the spices, you can just use warm apple juice with slices of orange or apples as well, using whatever you can get or have available.
💝 Make small presents of the leftovers
If you have leftover spices, you can pass them on in portions wrapped in cellophane. Use a nice bow tie and tie the spice bag to a bottle of apple juice. Feel free to include a little note with a handwritten recipe to give as a host/hostess gift when you visit for Christmas!
You can write this on the note:
You will need: 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger and ½ lemon or sliced orange.
Put apple juice, cinnamon sticks, anise, cloves, grated ginger and citrus in a saucepan and heat gently.
Leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
Serve hot in mugs or glasses and garnish with apple slices.
Invite your friends to a Christmas workshop and apple toddy! Check out more of Harald's suggestions for homemade edible gifts for you to make:
Rocky Road - yummy confectionery
Homemade applesauce or orange marmalade
Harald Nesse
Food and drink manager
Harald is a chef with experience from hotels, restaurants, canteens, cafes and catering. He has gone through the ranks from apprentice to general manager and owner. In SSN, he is a Food and drink manager.
For Harald, food is joy, culture and welfare. Good food means well-being alone or with others.
Harald loves vegetables and is passionate about: good ingredients with as short a journey as possible, sustainable choices, good kitchen finances, people and new ways of doing things!
