Step 1
In a 6- to 8-inch square of cheesecloth, place the strips of orange zest, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, cardamom pods, and black peppercorns. Gather up the sides of the cheesecloth and tie with kitchen string to enclose them (see Chef’s Tips).
Step 2
Pour the unsweetened apple cider or apple juice into a large, heavy-bottomed pot and place over medium-high heat. Add in the spice sachet and the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar. Stir until the cider begins to simmer and the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover; simmer for 20 minutes to allow flavours to meld.
Step 3
Carefully remove and discard the spice sachet. Ladle the hot apple cider into heatproof mugs and garnish with a cinnamon stick or apple slice, if desired (see Chef’s Tips).
*If the cinnamon sticks are too large to fit into the spice sachet, add them directly to the apple cider and remove them when taking out the spice sachet.
*For a cocktail version, add a shot of dark rum or apple brandy to each mug before ladling in the hot apple cider.
*Redpath Simply Raw™ Turbinado Sugar or Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar can be used in place of the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar. Note that the resulting flavour may not have the caramel notes when using the Turbinado Sugar, and the cider will be lighter in colour. Using the Dark Brown Sugar will result in a cider with a more pronounced caramel undertone and darker colour.
