Homemade Apple Cider (Non-Alcoholic Version)

Apple Cider is a popular drink in Normandy, but also in Northern Italy and the United Kingdom. There are two versions of this recipe: a non-alcoholic one, like the one proposed here, made simply by simmering the fruit juice with spices and herbs, and a fermented, slightly alcoholic version, which requires the addition of brewer's yeast and proper resting times.

To make it, simply peel the apples, blend them in a blender, and then drain them through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth to extract all the juice. Then, collect the juice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the granulated sugar, orange and lemon zest and juice, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, and sliced ​​ginger, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Once ready and strained, you can enjoy the warm cider as a snack or after a meal on cold winter days, or serve it as an alternative brunch with friends.

How to Make Homemade Apple Cider

Step 1

Step 1

Wash the apples and peel them.

Wash the apples and peel them.

Step 2

Step 2

Remove the core.

Remove the core.

Step 3

Step 3

Chop them roughly with a knife and blend them in a blender jug.

Chop them roughly with a knife and blend them in a blender jug.

Step 4

Step 4

Collect the fruit puree in a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth and filter all the juice.

Collect the fruit puree in a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth and filter all the juice.

Step 5

Step 5

Pour the apple juice together with the water into a saucepan with a thick bottom.

Pour the apple juice together with the water into a saucepan with a thick bottom.

Step 6

Step 6

Add the granulated sugar.

Add the granulated sugar.

Step 7

Step 7

Flavor with orange and lemon zest.

Flavor with orange and lemon zest.

Step 8

Step 8

Flavor with the cinnamon stick, the cloves and a piece of sliced ginger root.

Flavor with the cinnamon stick, the cloves and a piece of sliced ginger root.

Step 9

Step 9

Also add the filtered citrus juice, put it on the heat and let it simmer on a low flame for about 10 minutes.

Also add the filtered citrus juice, put it on the heat and let it simmer on a low flame for about 10 minutes.

Step 10

Step 10

Once the time has elapsed, turn off the heat and let the apple cider cool, then transfer it into a sterilized glass bottle and distribute it into individual glasses. Enjoy!

Once the time has elapsed, turn off the heat and let the apple cider cool, then transfer it into a sterilized glass bottle and distribute it into individual glasses. Enjoy!

FAQs

What Are The Best Apples to Use For Apple Cider?

For best results, we recommend using Red Delicious or Granny Smith apples, with their particularly sweet and juicy flesh, or, when the season allows, diced quinces or pears.

How Can I Extract the Juice Quickly?

To speed up the process, if you have an appliance, you can juice the fruit using a juicer or extractor.

Can I Make an Alcoholic Apple Cider?

If you'd like, you can also try an alcoholic version. In this case, dissolve 6 grams of fresh brewer's yeast in 80 ml of water over very low heat, then add the rest of the ingredients listed and simmer for about 2 minutes. Once ready and filtered through a fine-mesh strainer, all you need to do is transfer the cider to sterilized glass bottles and let it ferment for 20 to 30 days.

If you wish, you can replace the fresh brewer's yeast with dry cider yeast, while, depending on the desired alcohol content, you can increase or decrease the amount of sweetener, which, together with the yeast, is responsible for the fermentation process: for example, if you did not add granulated sugar to the drink, you would obtain an alcohol content of around 2%, while with the addition of 200 g of sugar, you would reach an alcohol percentage of up to 8%.

For a flawless result, we suggest you equip yourself with a bubbler and a hydrometer: the former will allow the carbon dioxide generated during the fermentation phase to escape without letting oxygen in, while the latter will serve to measure the degree of fermentation of the must.