Wassail

Name: Wassail
Ingredients: 1 orange; 1 lemon; 1 lime; 1-2 tablespoons cloves; 1 apple, cored, pared and sliced into rings, optional; 1/2 cup cranberries; 1/2 cup honey, to taste; 1/4 cup organic cane sugar, to taste; 1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg; 1-2 tablespoons peeled grated fresh ginger; 1 teaspoon allspice berries; 2 cardamom pods; 3 cinnamon sticks; 3 cups premium cranberry juice; 1 gallon premium apple cider, unfiltered; 1 liter dry rose wine; 1/3 cup Cointreau; 1/2 cup brandy (or light rum); 1/2 cup fresh lime juice; 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; additional slices of orange studded with cloves for garnish

21 ingredients

3 steps

Ingredients

1 orange
1 lemon
1 lime
1-2 tablespoons cloves
1 apple, cored, pared and sliced into rings, optional
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 cup honey, to taste
1/4 cup organic cane sugar, to taste
1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1-2 tablespoons peeled grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon allspice berries
2 cardamom pods
3 cinnamon sticks
3 cups premium cranberry juice
1 gallon premium apple cider, unfiltered
1 liter dry rose wine
1/3 cup Cointreau
1/2 cup brandy (or light rum)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
additional slices of orange studded with cloves for garnish

Directions

1

Loosely stud the orange, lemon and lime with cloves and set aside. Combine the honey and sugar. Warm this gently to dissolve the sugar in a large crock pot or Dutch oven. It is a good idea to put the ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and allspice into a teabag pouch or sack, which you can remove before serving. The cinnamon sticks are easy to remove. Add all the spices.
2

Slice the clove-studded fruits as thinly as you can. Add all the fruits to the pot and stir to coat. Add the cider. Bring this to a gentle boil and simmer for 2-4 hours. Then add the wine and keep at a low temperature for another 2 hours.
3

About 1/2 hour before serving add the Cointreau, brandy, and citrus juices. Taste for sweetness and make any adjustments. Continue to keep the beverage warm. Remove the spice pouch and fish out any the loose spices. Ladle the wassail preferably into glass cups with some selective fruit to float on top or side garnish. Alternatively, you can decant this to a pitcher for serving or in a wassail bowl which you can keep replenishing as needed.