HOMEMADE PEAR CIDER
Homemade Pear Cider is a warming, cozy, aromatic and delicious with flavours from the spices and lemon. I decided to leave the cider unfiltered so that tiny bits of cooked pears become a part of the drink. Though a fall drink, it can easily be served as a hot beverage during the colder months or Christmas |New Year Parties.
Ingredients
- 6 ripe pears
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 2 star anise
- 4 cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 1 vanilla pod or ½ tsp vanilla powder
- ¼ tsp nutmeg powder
- 1 large lemon or orange sliced
- ¼ cup brown sugar or maple syrup
- 8 cups water
Instructions
- I used the slow cooking setting on my instant pot.
- Cut the pears into halves or quarters. No need to peel or core them. If the pears are small use 8 of them.
- Add them to the instant pot.
- Add 8 cups of water.
- Add cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom and cloves.
- Close the instant pot with the lid. Make sure the pressure release valve is turned to the right for the sealing setting.
- Press the button for slow cooking.
- Adjust the time to 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, open the lid. It does so quite easily as there is no pressure built in the instant pot.
- Add the lemon or orange slices. Also add the sugar and vanilla powder.
- Close the lid again. Slow cook for another 2 hours.
- Open the lid.
- Mash the mixture. The pears will not mash completely.
- Close the lid and slow cook for another 2 hours.
- Again mash the mixture. Add the nutmeg powder.
- Cover and allow it mixture to cool down a bit.
- Strain the mixture using a fine mesh sieve.
- A bit of the cooked pears passes through the sieve but I don't mind the cloudy cider.
- If you want a clear cider then use a cheesecloth to strain the mixture.
- Pour the pear cider into a bottle.
- Serve it hot with some lemon or orange slices, pear slices, cinnamon sticks or star anise.
- Can add a shot of brandy, bourbon, rum, tequila, cinnamon liqueur or some sparkling white wine.
- Can store the pear cider in the fridge for a week.
Notes
- Can make it on the stove top. Cook the pears, whole spices for 2 hours. Then add the lemon or orange slices, sugar and cook for another 2 hours.
- Add either lemon or orange slices. Make sure they are fresh.
- For a more clear cider, strain the mixture with a layer of cheesecloth.
- I allowed some bits to pass through the sieve to make it into a cloudy pear cider.