Old Fashioned Wassail Recipe - Anna E

• servings: 8 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

8 cups 1(893 ml) apple cider

2 cups (475 ml) pulp-free orange juice

2 cups (475 ml) cranberry juice cocktail

2 navel oranges (divided)

2 red apples (divided)

1 teaspoon whole cloves

2 cups (200 grams) fresh cranberries, divided

6 cinnamon sticks

6 star anise

1 to 2 cups up to (475 ml) bourbon, optional

Directions

Pour the apple cider, orange juice, and cranberry juice cocktail into a 5-quart pot. Set over high heat and bring to a boil.

While the mixture heats, slice the oranges and the apples crosswise into thin slices. Remove apple seeds.

Press a few cloves into the flesh of each apple slice until all the cloves are accounted for.

When the mixture boils, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

Add half the apple slices (including all of the ones studded with cloves), half the orange slices, half the cranberries, four of the cinnamon sticks, and three of the star anise to the pot.

Simmer for 30 minutes.

Strain the wassail through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a large bowl. This removes any accumulated foam along with the spent fruit and spices.

Pour strained wassail back into the pot or into a slow cooker. In either case, set on low heat to keep warm.

Place the remaining cinnamon sticks and star anise into the pot, along with some of the apple and orange slices and cranberries. Reserve some of the fruit to garnish individual servings.

To serve, ladle wassail into mugs, and garnish with fruit if you like. Stir an ounce or two of bourbon into the mugs of any takers.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 253 kcal
• Total Fat: 1 g
• Sodium: 50 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 59 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Total Sugars: 46 g
• Protein: 1 g