An autumnal tipple to warm the cockles.

Right on cue, the weather gets cooler, the clocks go back and autumn is well and truly here. Should you still be clutching onto summer and tall glasses of crisp apple cider, then let this be your panacea. Full of warming spices and zesty orange, it warms the cockles and your freezing hands! It’s simple to make and as it gently simmers on the stove, the house will be filled with the most wonderful aroma.    

MULLED APPLE CIDER

Serves 4

• 4 x 330ml bottles apple cider (I used Rochdale)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 6 slices fresh ginger
• 3 slices fresh turmeric (optional)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 cardamom pods, bruised
• 2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
• 1 orange

Put all the ingredients except the orange into a heavy-bottomed pot.

Slice several rounds off the orange and cut each one into quarters, adding these to the pot.

Juice the remaining orange and pour this into the pot also. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer very gently with the lid on for a least an hour.

At this stage you can serve the mulled cider or you can leave it in the pot at room temperature for several hours before serving. We didn’t drink all of ours in one go, so I refrigerated what was left until the next evening when we reheated it. It was just as delicious, if not more, as the flavours had developed.

When I served my cider, I removed the orange slices and cut fresh ones to add to each cup.