Happy shop-the-sales week! Since several people have asked, here is my wassail recipe. It might be more properly named "spiced cider," but I like saying wassail better!
Wassail
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 quarts apple cider
3 cups orange juice
6 cinnamon sticks
6-8 whole cloves
6-8 allspice berries
Dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about five minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and return to boiling. Let simmer again for at least one hour. Serve!
Recipe notes: I make this on Christmas Eve and let it simmer while I am doing the Christmas-Eve things. It makes the kitchen smell delicious! I turn it off when I go to bed and then just reheat it in the morning. This lets the spices have a chance to mingle. It does get thicker as it simmers; if it gets too thick just add more apple cider. If you can find it, the real pressed apple cider makes the best wassail, but a bottle of Tree Top will do!
Amy, this sounds delicious! I'll have to try it with the orange juice next year. Thanks for posting it. Do you leave it out overnight? I have a big Party Perk percolator, and I make my cider in that. I put a gallon of cider (or juice) in the pot. I put the following in the brew basket: about 4 Tbs light brown sugar, 4 broken cinnamon sticks, about 3/4 Tbs whole cloves and about 3/4 Tbs whole allspice. I add a small shake of freshly grated nutmeg and perk. I always make it at work, and people start asking in early Dec if I'm making cider this year. I work in a building with about 1500 people, and I email all my friends and former coworkers to come have a mug and some Christmas cookies.
Posted by: Kim D | Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at 06:51 PM