a spiced apple clarified mocktail — because us alcohol free folks deserve to show off our science skills, too! this drink requires some patience but what’s great is that it becomes shelf stable once strained, so it lasts for months. it’s also the PERFECT batch mocktail to make for a party!
*to make it work for those who consume alcohol and those who don’t, make it non-alcoholic. when you pour it up to friends, i recommend adding 1-2oz cognac to the drink!! a few friends tried it this way and lovedddd it.
ingredients//
2 cups spiced tea (cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg + water)
1/2 cup apple syrup (maple syrup, apples, water)
1 cup seedilp spice
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
method//
the day before you plan to serve the drink: make homemade spiced tea by adding cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg to a heat-proof container with boiling water. let it steep for 15 minutes and strain out spices. make your apple syrup by adding 3/4c maple syrup (or brown sugar) + 3/4c water to a sauce pan. bring to a boil and then add in 1 sliced red apple. simmer on medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes and strain into a jar. cool in the fridge. next, add spiced tea + syrup + seedilp spice to a heatproof container. meanwhile, warm milk until lightly scalding (small bubbles on the side) - then, add milk + lemon juice to the tea/syrup/NA liquor mixture. allow milk to curdle and refrigerate overnight. (a lot of people will tell you to add the “alcohol” mixture into the milk - i found it doesn’t really matter)
the next day, strain the batch through a strainer with a cheesecloth into a bowl to emit large curdle particles (do it twice). then, put strained batch through a coffee filter or double lined paper towels and it will be a beautiful amber color. the straining process will take about 30min-1hr. it’s worth it! pour into a glass with ice and garnish with a dried apple slice & some grated nutmeg.