Mull Your Own Cider with Farmview Fresh Ingredients

Have you been thinking of ways to celebrate fall? Why not trying “mulling” over some hot cider (get it?)? Hot apple cider is a wonderful fall tradition that comes to us from our Norse ancestors. Traditionally, the Norse cider drink was known as “wassail” and was consumed during the Yuletide. The warm cider was served in a communal wassailing bowl that friends and family gathered around. You can recreate this sense of community by trying these updated versions of hot apple cider! Farmview has even found recipes that can be made, using your slow cooker which, if you think about it, becomes the modern day wassailing bowl! All of these ciders will make your home smell like fall, which is an added bonus, but the best part is how they taste. Try them now, before fall blows away. And, don't forget about the Honey Rum Marshmallows. Cider isn't cider without Honey Rum Marshmallows.

Slow Cooker Pear Cider

Ingredients

8 pears, medium, assorted types

1 orange

3 cinnamon sticks

2 star anise

2-3 slices ginger, fresh

1 nutmeg, whole

2 tsp. cloves, whole

6 cups water, filtered

1/3 cup maple syrup

Directions

Wash the pears and orange then cut into quarters. Seeds, peels and stems are OK. Place the fruit in the bottom of your slow cooker Add the cinnamon sticks, star anise, ginger slices, nutmeg and cloves.

Fill to the top of the slow cooker with water, leaving about a 1/2-inch of space at the top. Cook on high heat for 3-4 hours or on low heat for 6-8 hours.

An hour before the cider is done cooking, use a potato masher to mash the fruit once it is softened. Cook for an additional hour.

Strain the pear cider through a fine-mesh strainer or cheese cloth into a clean pitcher or pot, pressing on the solids to get all of the juice out of the fruit. Stir in the maple syrup until it is dissolved and serve hot. The cider can be stored in a heat-safe container for up to 5 days.

Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider

Ingredients

5 apples, medium (red and green varieties)

1 orange, whole

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 clove, whole

1/4 tsp ground allspice

8 cups water

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup homemade or store-bought caramel sauce

Directions

Wash apples and orange. Chop apples into quarters (you can leave the stems/seeds etc.) Add them to the slow cooker along with the whole orange. Add water, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, clove and allspice. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

If you notice the orange split open at any point during cooking, remove it from the pot so it doesn't make the cider bitter. This has never happened to me, but it can happen. One hour before the mixture is done cooking, mash the apples with a potato masher. Replace lid and continue cooking 1 more hour.

Use a fine mesh strainer to strain the contents into a large heat-proof pitcher. Stir in brown sugar and caramel sauce and stir to dissolve. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream and caramel sauce drizzled on top. Refrigerate leftovers for 5-6 days. Rewarm to serve.

Honey Rum Marshmallows

Ingredients

1 cup honey

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 envelopes gelatin

1 cup cold water, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon rum or vanilla extract

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup powdered sugar

non-stick spray

Directions

In your stand mixer, place 1/2 cup cold water and gelatin. Mix to combine. Put on whisk attachment. In a small saucepan, add 1/2 cup water, sugar, honey and salt. Bring to a boil and cook over medium high heat until candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, just wait till the bubbles get thinner and much larger.

When honey mixture is ready, slowly pour it into stand mixer while mixer is on low speed. Turn mixer to medium. When it starts to bubble and get a little thicker turn to high and mix for about 15 minutes. (If you turn the mixer to high too quickly, the hot candy will fly all around your kitchen.)

While this is mixing, take a 9 x 13 pan and spray with nonstick spray. Add cornstarch and powdered sugar to a bowl and mix well. Add cornstarch and sugar mixture to 9 x 13 pan and dust it well. Pour out the excess and reserve for later. When mixture is thick and white, add rum or vanilla extract. Mix until well incorporated.

Spray spatula with nonstick spray and use it to transfer marshmallow mixture to 9 x 13 pan. Dust with just enough cornstarch and powdered sugar to cover. Let sit at least 4 hours, or overnight.

To cut marshmallows. Transfer to a cutting board and cut with a pizza roller or a pizza rocker knife. Use the reserved cornstarch and powdered sugar to dust all sides of the marshmallows. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Red Hot Apple Cider

Ingredients

1 gallon apple cider or apple juice

1 and 1/2 cups cinnamon flavored candies

1/2 tsp. all spice

Directions

Place Hot Tamales and all spice inside the slow cooker and cover with apple juice or cider until the top is almost full.

Be sure to stir the mixture until everything is well blended. This will allow the cinnamon candies to melt into the cider.

Cook on low for 2-3 hours.

Garnish with cinnamon sticks if desired.

Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Cider

Ingredients

1 liter apple juice, pure unsweetened

2 cups orange juice, pure unsweetened

1 liter cranberry juice, unsweetened

1/2 cup No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

3 cinnamon sticks, whole

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

Add all ingredients to a 4 quart or larger slow cooker. Cook at least 3-4 hours on low or until hot, stirring occasionally. Keep warm as long as needed on the low or warm setting.