Delicately Fragrant Mulled Cider (in the Crock-Pot)
★★★★★
by:ody
COOK TIME2 hours 30 minutes
SERVESa crowd
Ingredients
1pear, not too soft; bosc highly recommended
1orange
1 to 2 tablespoonswhole cloves
1lemon
3 to 5whole allspice berries
3 to 5inches peeled fresh ginger root, cut into 1-inch pieces
1medium stick of cinnamon (or a half of a large stick of cinnamon---they're easy to snap, especially if you have some holiday stress to get out!)
2 to 3 gallonsapple cider
Instructions
You know your slow cooker best: Get this started in time to allow at least 30 minutes of simmering.
Stud the pear and orange with cloves.
Using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, peel large pieces of rind from the lemon, trying to avoid the white pith. Give each piece a little twist to release some of the lemon oil.
Put fruits and spices in your slow cooker, pour a gallon of cider over it all, and put it on high heat for a few hours, allowing for at least half an hour at a full simmer. As you drink the cider, top it off every now and then with new cider—the mixture can keep mulling and spicing all day.