Wassail

Growing up, my family always had lots of traditions around the holidays.  Now that I'm starting my own family, I've been trying to find my own traditions to start.  In college, I had tried a non-alcoholic version of wassail, and it was pretty good.  I figured, if I could find a good recipe for wassail, it could become a new Christmas tradition.

I think it will.

Wassail

(Makes a large punch bowl worth.  Around 2 quarts.)

I found the original recipe on Nourished Kitchen.  Here's my slightly modified version:

4 small apples

1 cup unrefined cane sugar

1 medium orange

13 whole cloves

2 quarts hard apple cider

1/2 cup brandy

1 tsp powdered ginger

1 tsp grated nutmeg

6 allspice berries

2 cinnamon sticks

6 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut into the top of each apple with a paring knife, and then scoop out the top half of the core with a spoon.  Fill the hole with about a tbsp of cane sugar.  Stick the cloves into the skin of the orange.  Place the fruit onto a cookie sheet and bake for 40 min.

Pour the cider and brandy into a large pot.  Warm over low to medium heat, and do not bring to a boil.  Stir in the ginger and nutmeg.  Place the allspice berries and cinnamon sticks in a colander or strainer, and then place the strainer in the pot.

Separate the eggs.  Beat the yolks until light in color, and beat the whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold the yolks into the whites.  Measure out a half cup of the wassail and slowly pour it into the egg mixture.

Remove the strainer with the all spice berried and cinnamon from the wassail and pour in the egg mixture.  Once the fruit has finished baking, transfer the wassail to a punch bowl and float the fruit in the wassail.

The bread in the picture is panettone.  It's real tasty.