spiced apples
notes
you can realistically use any sweetener, peeled fruit, whisky, or vinegar to make these. they are basically pickles when you get down to the methodology. but they are really good. the spices also don't matter. if you like a spice, use it. a really good addition can be raw ginger. the whisky is unfortunately required to keep it from fermenting. if you use honey as your sweetener, the whole thing will smell mead-y and a lot of people find that offputting. lastly, if you use apple cider with mother culture in it, it'll leave a thing coat of lees on your fruit. don't panic. i have worked with chambourd and cherries as well as domaine de canton and pears. my friends jake and cait said the apples specifically pair really well over ice-cream, or with grilled pork. they keep in the mail and look cool and witchy too.
ingredients
Apple (peeled, cored, cut into wedges) :2
Fireball Cinnamon Whisky :1 cup
Water :1 cup
Apple Cider Vinegar :½ cup
Cane Sugar (or honey...) :½ cup
Fresh Rosemary :2 sprigs
Cinnamon sticks :3
Black Peppercorn :Little handful
instructions
1 . Take a glass mason jar. Put all of your loose spice (peppercorns, slices of ginger, coriander, anise, whatever you are using...) in the bottom of the jar.
2 . Slice your apples and place them into the jar neatly. Tuck the rosemary and cinnamon sticks in between them.
3 . Sanitize the lip of your mason jar and its lid.
4 . Set a shallow pan of water to boil on the side.
5 . Combine your whiskey, vinegar and water. Bring to a low simmer and stir in your sugar until dissolved. Stir it well so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot or burn.
6 . Set your mason jar full of apples into the shallow pan of boiling water. The updraft of steam will prevent anything weird from falling into your jar while you fill and seal it.
7 . Bring your saucepan to a rolling boil and remove it from heat. Pour it over your apples until submerged. Seal mason jar while still hot and remove from the pan of boiling water.
8 . Refridgerate. The mason jar's lid will make a pressure seal when your solution cools. It'll 'pop' when you open it. Let the apples sit for three days or so and they are good to eat. They keep for a month or so.