Spiced Cranberry Pear Cider

It has been a busy weekend with a holiday brunch at home, lot of baking and cooking. With the weather being very cloudy and gloomy, I couldn't get a chance to take photos of the food or even the cookies. I saved a few, hopefully the sun will be out tomorrow and I can take come decent photos.

Today's Cranberry-Pear cider recipe is from Vegetarian times magazine and I made it for the brunch yesterday. It is spiced with ginger & cinnamon and is served warm which is perfect for the chilly weather and also for the sniffles and coughs.

Recipe adapted from Vegetarian Times magazine:

Ingredients:  Makes 3~4 servings

Cranberries - 2cups, fresh or frozen

Pear Juice or Pear Cider - 1cup

Sugar - ¼cup (adjust as per taste)

Cinnamon Stick - 2" long piece

Ginger - 2 ¼" slices, crushed

Vanilla bean - ¼ bean, split

Pear - 1 medium, peeled, cored and diced into small cubes (optional)

Method:

• Combine cranberries, ginger, cinnamon stick and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove ginger and cinnamon stick and set aside.
• Strain the cranberry mixture into another saucepan, pressing down on the solids to extract all liquid -- you should have about 2 cups of liquid.
• Return the reserved ginger and cinnamon stick to the cranberry juice. Add the pear juice/ cider, sugar and vanilla bean. This is a great time to check the taste and adjust the taste by adding more juice or sugar.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove the ginger and cinnamon stick and vanilla bean. Add the diced pears (if using) and remove from heat. Serve warm.

Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge: December -- Week 3'.