We were blessed with a gallon of local apple cider recently. I love cider but it is hard for just two of us to drink a whole gallon before it starts to get hard and fizzy. I actually got the idea to make cider syrup from my dad. I had never tried it but it sounded like a pretty easy task. I did some googling and found a few recipes that called for adding sugar and butter but I decided to keep it purely cider. I put about 48 ounces of cider in a saucepan, brought it to a boil and then turned down to simmer for about 3 hours.
Since there is some sediment in cider, I also decided to strain the final product. I cooked this batch for about 3 1/2 hours and it reduced down to 1 cup of syrup. So the reduction is pretty intense but the syrup does pack quite a punch and a little goes a long way.
What results is a super sweet but also deliciously tart syrup. I first used it on top of vanilla ice cream and oh man was it good. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Next I want to try it on pancakes, roasted root veggies or squash, or maybe on top of a savory dish like roasted pork tenderloin. This would also be fun to bottle up in small jars and give as a hostess or small holiday gift.
Other ways to use up cider:
Cider Mimosas – Food Dance Cafe (one of my favorite local restaurants) serves cider mimosas in the fall and they are delicious!
I also will probably throw some in the freezer in small batches.
Be Healthy, Be Happy!