Christmas Spirit Apple Cider

Christmas is our favorite time of year here at RTT.  We delight in helping our customers experience the best of Europe's time honored traditions, favorite Christmas Markets and all the delicious treats and beautiful trinkets that make this time of year so special. 2020 was different, there were no Christmas Market tours, no trips to the amazing gingerbread bakeries and no train rides into the snow capped alps to visit Santa.  This Christmas season has been a time to reflect on all the things we have all been so fortunate to have in the past and an opportunity to find a new way to gently kindle the Christmas spirit.  With that sentiment in mind, we wanted to share the Christmas joy we feel in our hearts with you, in the only way we can – at a distance...  With good cheer, good spirits and with the hopes of giving you a recipe to create a little Christmas Market Magic at home with your loved ones.  Guaranteed to warm your soul and fill your house with the intoxicating smell of Christmas, we invite you to join us in a hot mug of homemade apple cider and a toast to happy and safe travels in the coming year.  We are grateful for your support and patronage this year and we look forward to working with you again when our office reopens in January 2021.

Ingredients Needed:

10 medium sweet apples (Honey Crisp work great if you can get them)

1/2- 3/4 cup of white sugar

1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon of crushed all spice

Water (about a gallon or enough to cover the apples by 2-3 inches once in pot)

Other Supplies Needed:

Large Cooking Pot

Strainer, a wire sieve works best

Cheese cloth or similar type material if you want to really strain it well

A container to strain into and store your cider

Funnel

Instructions

Step 2 – Prep (5 min)

Wash apples thoroughly and remove any labels.  Cut into quarters and then quarter again.Put apples, sugar and spices into pot, fill with water until apples are covered by 2-3 inches. 

Step 3 – Straining (15-30 min)

If you don't have a wire sieve, use a slotted spoon or ladle as a filter and carefully pour off as much juice into a separate vessel while holding back the solids.Once this is done, then use a strainer to separate the solids and juice from the remaining mixture.  Discard the solids.Line a funnel with cheese cloth (or similar material such as pantyhose) and pour the liquid into the container you will be storing the cider in a little at a time.  Once the flow stops, rinse the cloth and repeat until all cider has been strained into the storage container.  The second straining won't change the flavor and isn't mandatory, but it will remove the small solids missed in the initial straining, which can make the cider a little thick in some cases.  If you want a perfect cup of cider, take the time and do the second step.

Storing & Reheating

The finished product should yield around 1 gallon and will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks, can be frozen for 3 months and reheated by microwave or stove-top – if you reheat on the stove-top, you'll get the delicious smell throughout your home again, just remember to add a little water if you reduce it by heating it too long.