Homemade hot spiced cider and Holiday wassail

Nothing adds to the festive atmosphere of the holiday season quite like a steaming cup of homemade spicy cider or wassail – a traditional type of punch served warm or cool. Here are two easy recipes that are so good, your friends will want to know how you made them.

One of the best warm-me-ups, this cider has some surprises in its spice: it's a classic hot drink for the cold winter weather – much loved after a day in the snow – but you don't have to go to a ski lodge to enjoy it.

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 L (4 cups) apple cider
• 10 whole cloves
• 10 black peppercorns
• 7.5 x 1.25 cm (3 x 1/2 in.) strips orange zest
• 1 cinnamon stick, cracked
• 1 vanilla bean, split

Preparation

1. In a medium pot over moderate heat, combine the ingredients; bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for 30 minutes to steep. Remove and discard the spices.
2. Return the pot to low heat and slowly cook until the cider begins to steam.
3. Ladle the cider into the mugs, wait three to five minutes and then serve.

A traditional holiday punch served warm or cool, this wassail is festive for parties and quite economical when you make it up fresh. Once you've served it at your Christmas party, all your friends will want the recipe!

Makes: 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients 

• 1 L (4 cups) hot brewed tea
• 250 ml (1 cup) sugar
• 1 bottle (1 litre or 32 oz.) cranberry juice
• 1 bottle (1 litre or 32 oz.) apple juice
• 500 ml (2 cups) orange juice
• 175 ml (3/4 cups) lemon juice
• 24 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 orange, sliced

Preparation

1. In a large, nonreactive pot or Dutch oven over moderately high heat, combine the hot tea and sugar, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Add the juices, 12 cloves and the cinnamon sticks. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for two minutes.
3. Remove the pot from the heat. Pour the wassail into a heatproof punch bowl.
4. Insert the remaining cloves into the orange slices and float them on the wassail as garnish.
5. Serve the wassail warm or cooled to room temperature.