Wassail (Modern recipes)
Wassail is a hot, mulled punch often associated with Christmastide, often drunk from a wassail bowl. The earliest versions were warmed mead into which roasted crab apples were dropped and burst to create a drink called 'lambswool' drunk on Lammas day, still known in Shakespeare's time. Later, the drink evolved to become a mulled cider made with sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, topped with slices of toast as sops and drunk from a large communal bowl.
The word wassail comes from the Middle English woes hoeil, which in turn comes from the Old Norse phrase ves heill, meaning ‘to be in health’. Although wassail is often associated with the entire Christmas season, it was often said as a greeting to wish good health and blessings for the new year. In addition, people would share a flaggon of spiced cider. This is the drink we still know as wassail and is as popular as mulled wine at this time of year.
Apple wassailing was traditionally held in cider-making communities, so today you’re more likely to find wassails in the West Country, or in the Welsh border counties. That said, it appears to be a popular tradition that increasing numbers are returning to, and – like many great traditions – is spreading across England at quite a pace.
Modern recipes begin with a base of wine, fruit juice or mulled ale, sometimes with brandy or sherry added. Apples or oranges are often added to the mix, and some recipes also call for beaten eggs to be tempered into the drink. Great bowls turned from wood, pottery or tin often had many handles for shared drinking and highly decorated lids; antique examples can still be found in traditional pubs.
Alton Brown has a recipe for Wassail that he makes with ale and Madeira. He also adds eggs to his: he beats the egg whites, then the egg yolks and mixes them together. He tempers them with a little of the spiced ale and then whisks the tempered eggs in, which makes the mixture foamy. I would skip the eggs, but he treats the apples in an interesting way. He puts cored apples in a small pan (such as 8x8), spoons the brown sugar in the center, adds about 1 cup water and bakes them in a 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes. Once the ale and Madeira mixture is hot, he adds the apples and the liquid from the baking dish to the wassail and stirs to combine. Then it is ladled into cups and served.
Comments from the web about Alton Brown's recipe: A person from England said "Traditional wassail has hard cider and brandy, as the main liquid ingredients." Another replied, "The history and breadth of recipes for wassail is as long as it is varied, and I have had it in both England and Scotland made with both ale and cider, both brandy and fortified wine." Historical Recipes for Wassail
Here We Come A-Wassailing
from
https://britishfoodandtravel.com/
4 pints cider [in the UK, this means "hard cider"]
1 pint sherry
4 apples
8 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
8 oz brown sugar
1 orange
Bake the apples until soft (about 30 minutes) at Gas 4, 175C, or 350F. Mix the cider, sherry, cloves, cinnamon, sugar, and baked apples in a large pot. Warm but do not boil (or you’ll lose the alcohol), using a spoon to squash the flesh out of the fruit. Leave to sit for an hour or so, allowing the flavours to meld. When ready to serve, strain the liquid and return to the pot. Warm once more, and serve in a large punch bowl with floating slices of orange.
Lamb’s Wool
A variant of wassail is lamb’s wool, so called because the apples burst during cooking, the fluffy flesh floating to the top of the spiced liquid. Ale is more likely to be used in lamb’s wool although cider can also be used if you prefer.
4 eating apples (Russets are a good choice.)
4 pints of brown ale or cider
6 cloves
1 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 allspice berries
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbs dark brown sugar
Bake the apples in a little of the ale for 30 minutes at Gas 6, 200C, or 400F. When done, the peels should have burst, revealing the titular lamb’s wool. Scoop the apple flesh out of the fruit, discarding the peel, pips, and core. Heat the ale with the spices and sugar in a large pan. Do not boil the liquid or you’ll lose the alcohol. [120 degrees F, no higher] Once hot (but not boiling) strain it into a large bowl. Top with the cooked apple, and serve with a spoon.
Hot Wassail Recipe To Warm You Up
from https://tastythriftytimely.com/
A quick hot wassail recipe perfect for the holidays! Boost up your hot apple cider with this easy recipe & add whisky for extra warmth!
[This more like a Hot Mulled "Fresh," although she does give the option to add whiskey, which perhaps brings it a little closer to traditional.]
8 cups apple cider*
1 1/2 cups orange juice (preferably no pulp)*
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
1 apple (sliced into 4 rings and poked with cloves)*
16 whole cloves
2 1/2 thumb sized pieces of ginger (peeled and sliced)
1 1/2 – 2 oz whisky per cup, optional (or use alcohol of choice)*
Prepare the apple by slicing it into 4 rings and poking each ring with 4 of the whole cloves.
Add the apple cider, orange juice, and lemon juice to a large pot. Add in the cinnamon sticks, star anise, apple rings, and peeled and sliced ginger (an easy way to peel ginger is to just scrape the skin off with a spoon).
Bring to a simmer and simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes. [120 degrees F, no higher]
Transfer to a slow cooker to keep warm if desired. Alternatively, make the wassail entirely in your slow cooker by heating it through on high for at least 2 hours and then switching to keep warm (you can likely cook the wassail for 4 – 6 hours in your slow cooker if you have the time. The longer cooking time will help get the most flavour out of the spices and apple slices).
To serve an alcoholic wassail, pour the alcohol in the glass first and then top it with hot wassail. Garnish with a fresh cinnamon stick or slice of apple if desired.
For a non-alcoholic wassail simply ladle into mugs, garnish as desired, and enjoy!
Leftovers store well in the refrigerator and can be reheated on the stove-top or in the microwave.
