What does the holiday season taste like to you? If I close my eyes and think about it, I can envision a table full of everything that my family has made since I was little: a pot full hallacas, a huge dish of fresh pernil, tequeños, and even the arepas on January 1st which is made of all of the leftovers from New Year’s Eve. Now I am hungry! I must say, since I moved to the US, there are new flavors that I’ve adopted year-round, but there are some flavors that I especially crave during the holiday season. That’s why I’m back with one of my favorite holiday treats, Homemade Apple Cider, which is unforgettable when I make it with Torani Sugar Free Toffee Nut Syrup!
You may remember my favorite summer drink with Torani, which is from this post where I show you how I make a simple but delicious recipe with the Puremade Chocolate Hazelnut Sauce. Today, I want to show you how to spice up the holidays with a little Homemade Apple Cider that will make the holidays that much more cozy (and yummy). My first encounter with Apple Cider was in Virginia, where I met my husband, back in 2004. I went to a friend’s family get-together in December and they gave me an apple cider I will never forget! It was one of those new flavors you just don’t forget, and now every year I try to make my own, and with Sugar Free Toffee Nut Syrup, ithas really reached a whole new level!
That said here are the ingredients:
- Torani Sugar Free Toffee Nut Syrup
- Medium fresh apples (use different colors / shapes to make a more unique flavor!)
- Oranges – gives a citrusy, sweet pop of flavor
- Cinnamon sticks
- Nutmeg
- Fresh ginger
- Water
- Fine mesh strainer (to strain out cider after cooking)
- Potato Masher to mash the apples
The steps I used to make it can be molded a bit to your liking, but I do the following:
- Place apples in large pot and add enough water to cover by at least 2 inches
- Bring to a boil. Once it simmers, reduce the heat to medium-low and let sit for 1 hour
- Then, add the spices (nutmeg, ginger, etc., according to your liking)
- Using a potato masher, mash the apples and oranges, and let it sit covered for another 30 minutes
- Next, serve using the strainer to discard any solids and
- Serve with ice (that’s my preference) and add Torani Sugar Free Toffee Nut Syrup to top it off with the ultimate taste you won’t forget
And voila – I promise you will love it + have a wonderful drink to offer any guests (or just for yourself) over the holidays. It’s truly a delicious and aromatic drink – give it a try and let me know what you think! I love sharing what I do this time of year but also would love to learn from you – let me know in the comments if there is any particular drink you like to prepare so I can try as well!
Stay Fabulous and Kind
Love, Lola
