Office parties, trim-the-tree fetes, caroling nights, friends' gift exchanges ... there are countless occasions for entertaining this month. Most of us, though, find ourselves with little time to undertake anything but the simplest of recipes during this hectic season.
At our house, warm mulled cider is a holiday staple. It takes only minutes to prepare and is assembled by simmering fresh cider with melted butter, brown sugar and spices. Dark rum and sliced apples and oranges round out the flavorings. The cider can be made two days ahead, then reheated when needed, and depending on the size of your group, the amounts are easily doubled or tripled. A note: Teenagers love this concoction, done without rum!
You can serve this aromatic brew in mugs or ladle it into Irish coffee cups. Add a platter of cheeses and some good crusty bread for savory accompaniments and finish with cookies, cupcakes or other sweet confections. Voila! — you've got a plan for celebrating without any fuss and worry.
Dark, rather than light rum, works best in this recipe. Myers Dark Rum works particularly well in this mulled cider. You can omit the rum for a nonalcoholic preparation, and it will still taste good.
• 2 quarts (8 cups) fresh cider
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 10 thin orange slices, cut in half, divided
• 1/2 medium-size apple, cored but not peeled, cut into thin slices
• 3 cinnamon sticks, 2 to 3 inches long, broken in half, plus 10 extra for garnish
• 4 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup dark rum
Place the cider in a large saucepan set over medium heat, and heat until it is warmed through.
While the cider is heating, melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan set over medium heat. When melted, add the sugar and stir for about a minute. (The sugar will not be completely dissolved.) Add the warm cider and stir until all the sugar has dissolved into the liquid.
Add half of the orange slices, the apple slices, the halved cinnamon sticks, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and rum. Stir and cook at a simmer, until the flavors have melded well, for 8 to 10 minutes. (The cider can be prepared 2 days ahead; cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat over medium heat, stirring often.)
To serve, ladle the warm cider into mugs or cups. Garnish each serving with an orange slice and a cinnamon stick.
Makes 10 servings.
