Warm Vanilla Bean Apple Cider
Holiday drinks are the perfect way to warm up your guests after they arrive to your home from out of the cold. I love a lot of different apple ciders but this one tends to take the cake, in my opinion. It's not spicy like many other ciders. It has more of a mellow blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla that makes you want to keep sipping away. It's absolutely delicious with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. And would be of course even more decadent with swirls of home-made caramel sauce. Maybe those last additions for a future post:).
The Ingredients:
Serves a little more than 20, 6 oz portions
128 oz Organic Pasteurized Apple Cider or Pasteurized Unfiltered Apple Juice
2 (Heaping) Tablespoons Packed Organic Dark Brown Sugar
2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
3-4 Cinnamon Sticks
3 Whole Nutmeg Seeds
2 Vanilla Beans, split and seeds scraped
Bourbon, optional
The Steps:
1) In a large stock pot, add in the cider, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg seeds. Split and scrape out the seeds from inside the bean and add both beans and all scraped seeds to the pot.
2) Turn up heat to high until you get the cider gently boiling, then turn down to a low simmer. Keep the lid tilted a bit to allow steam to escape. This way your cider won't get watered down and it will also help fill your house with a wonderful holiday aroma.
I like to get the cider on the stove at least 2-3 hours before I have people arrive. The longer it cooks, the better the flavors have incorporated. After guests have all arrived I then turn it down so it just keeps the cider hot but it's not simmering. I have a specific Simmer Burner on my stove top that helps control the temperature this way.
You could also do the cider in a slow cooker if you need your stove top for cooking. Simply follow the same steps as above and then turn the slow cooker on HIGH for the first hour, then turn down to LOW or WARM while your guests are present.
3) OPTIONAL: Adults can Add 1-2 Tablespoons Bourbon to a mug, prior to adding in cider. (Note: 1 oz = 2 Tablespoons & a I believe a typical shot glass of alcohol contains 1.5 oz.)
The Ingredients:
Serves a little more than 20, 6 oz portions
128 oz Organic Pasteurized Apple Cider or Pasteurized Unfiltered Apple Juice
2 (Heaping) Tablespoons Packed Organic Dark Brown Sugar
2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
3-4 Cinnamon Sticks
3 Whole Nutmeg Seeds
2 Vanilla Beans, split and seeds scraped
Bourbon, optional
1) In a large stock pot, add in the cider, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg seeds. Split and scrape out the seeds from inside the bean and add both beans and all scraped seeds to the pot.
2) Turn up heat to high until you get the cider gently boiling, then turn down to a low simmer. Keep the lid tilted a bit to allow steam to escape. This way your cider won't get watered down and it will also help fill your house with a wonderful holiday aroma.
I like to get the cider on the stove at least 2-3 hours before I have people arrive. The longer it cooks, the better the flavors have incorporated. After guests have all arrived I then turn it down so it just keeps the cider hot but it's not simmering. I have a specific Simmer Burner on my stove top that helps control the temperature this way.
You could also do the cider in a slow cooker if you need your stove top for cooking. Simply follow the same steps as above and then turn the slow cooker on HIGH for the first hour, then turn down to LOW or WARM while your guests are present.
3) OPTIONAL: Adults can Add 1-2 Tablespoons Bourbon to a mug, prior to adding in cider. (Note: 1 oz = 2 Tablespoons & a I believe a typical shot glass of alcohol contains 1.5 oz.)
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