Burnt Cinnamon Apple Cider

Make a large batch to fill your home with the amazing fall aroma and have the cider all week long: Burn a bunch of cinnamon sticks and steep in a quart or gallon of cider and leave them in there while stored in the fridge to allow the flavor grow stronger over time. When visitors pop by, warm it up and invite them to burn a cinnamon stick to place in their mug of cider for the full experience.

Add a tablespoon of unsalted butter (or browned butter) to make a hot buttered version and a splash of whiskey if you like.

Makes 2 servings

2 cups fresh apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks

1. In a small pot, bring the cider to a simmer over medium-low heat.

2. Firmly hold one end of a cinnamon stick with your fingers (or tongs) and carefully hold it over an open flame until it is evenly charred, then dip it into the cider to put the flame out and cool the charred end. (Be careful - when you burn the cinnamon stick, the heat can move through the hollow center.) Then hold the cooled charred end to burn the other end and drop it into the pot. Repeat with the second cinnamon stick.

3. Serve or let steep. Store cooled leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen in an ice cube tray for up to two months.

Burnt Cinnamon Cider Syrup

Use this syrup in place of honey or maple syrup. It’s great in salad dressings, cocktails, over pancakes, desserts, plain yogurt, blended into whipped cream, or drizzled on a cheese plate.

Makes 2 cups syrup

1 gallon fresh apple cider
4-6 burnt cinnamon sticks (see above)

Bring the cider to a boil in a small pot. Boil, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced to 2 cups and the syrup coats the back of a spoon. Once cooled, pour the syrup and a burnt cinnamon stick into one or more jars and refrigerate for up to six months or freeze for up to a year.

 

Burnt Cinnamon Cider Cashew Cream 

Serve this rich and decadent cream with fruit like Fuyu persimmons or apples for dipping, on top of your favorite baked good like frosting, or add a spoonful on a mug of steaming cider. Or make them into ice cream sandwiches with my Teff Ginger Peanut Butter Cookie recipe.

Makes about 1 cup

2 cups burnt cinnamon apple cider
1 cup raw, unsalted cashew pieces (about 4 1/2 ounces)
Splash of lemon juice
Pinch of salt

  1. In a small pot, bring the cider to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low so the liquid gently boils. Cook until the mixture has reduced to ¾ cup, around 30-40 minutes. (Keep a liquid measuring glass nearby to check the volume.)

  2. Add the cashews to the pot and let soak for 20 minutes, until they soften. (If you don’t have a high speed blender, let them soak for an hour.)

  3. Transfer the cashews and cider to a high-speed blender along with the lemon and salt and blend until smooth. Refrigerate to cool or place in an ice bath. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months.


Smoked Cheddar, Apple & Cider Lentil Quesadillas


I love the combination of bright crisp apple with smoky cheese and in this quesadilla, I make a meal out of it by adding greens and lentils. The apple cider brings in more fall flavor and the caramelized onions are ridiculously sweet and gooey. Serve the quesadillas with the usual suspects like avocado/guacamole, hot sauce/chili oil or salsa, sour cream/yogurt etc. I like to eat it with lime zest and juice and Hot Mama Smoky Coffee Chili Oil mixed into plain yogurt for a tangy spicy sauce.

Makes 6 quesadillas

Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or cooking spray
6 6-inch flour tortillas  
2 cups shredded smoked cheddar cheese (about ½ pound)
½ cup – 1 cup cider caramelized onions (recipe below)
1 cup cooked cider lentils (recipe below)
1 large juicy crisp apple (like Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp), thinly sliced
2 cups chopped dark leafy greens (kale, spinach etc), briefly sautéed
Handful chopped cilantro leaves and/or stems
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lime, cut into wedges

  1. Lightly coat a medium skillet with cooking spray or oil and heat over medium-low heat. Lay a tortilla in the skillet and cook 1-2 minutes, or until it starts to puff up and become golden, then flip it over.

  2. Sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese evenly across half of the tortilla then top with 2 -3 teaspoons of onions, a couple tablespoons of lentils, and a layer of apple slices and greens. Sprinkle with cilantro, salt and pepper then fold the bare half of the tortilla over the fillings and cook until the cheese has melted, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook one minute more, until golden and heated all the way through. Lower the heat if the tortillas are browning faster than the cheese is melting.

  3. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and serve immediately with a lime wedge, avocado, etc as desired.

NOTES

  • To simplify this recipe:
    - Use apple and cheese or omit any of the other fillings - lentils, greens, caramelized onions
    - Buy canned lentils (or canned black beans or other legumes )
    - Fry the onions quickly rather than caramelizing them
    - Add the greens to the onions when they’re almost done caramelizing

  • If lentils don’t appeal, any bean will do, or your favorite bite-sized protein like shrimp or shredded rotisserie chicken. 

  • This yields extra lentils and caramelized onions because you’ll want leftovers. Both are great on sweet potatoes, nachos, pizza, toast with greens, mixed into pasta or rice, eggs, added to a broth as soup etc.

  • Make it a bowl and serve with more greens and lentils.


For the cider lentils

Cooking the lentils in apple cider or hard apple cider brings in more fall flavor, but you can absolutely cook them in water or use canned or refrigerated vacuum sealed lentils (Trader Joe’s).

1 cup dry French lentils (or Beluga or Puy – any lentil that will hold its shape while cooked, NOT red lentils)
3 cups apple cider or hard cider (like Finnriver)

  1. Pour the lentils onto a white surface, like a plate, and sift through them, removing any debris. Rinse the lentils and drain, then transfer to a medium pot and cover with cider. There should be at least 2 inches of cider above the top of the lentils.

  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 18-30 minutes until tender but not falling apart. They should hold their shape but should be easy to bite into. (If your lentils have been recently harvested, they will cook quicker and if they are very old, they will take longer.) Drain well in a sieve or a colander with small holes. If you wish, drain over a container to catch the cider then use to caramelize the onions or transfer it back into the pot and reduce it to make a cider syrup to mix into the lentils or into sour cream for topping the quesadillas.
    The lentils will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

For the cider caramelized onions

This method takes some time, but they’re so sweet and gooey, it’s worth it. They'll last for a couple weeks in the fridge for 3 months in the freezer. Consider making a double batch - they’re good with everything. Don’t fret if you don’t have cider. They’ll still come out super tasty and sweet if you use water.

Makes 1 cup

2 cups apple cider or hard cider (like Finnriver)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or butter
2 large red or yellow onions, thinly sliced
Salt

  1. Fill a liquid measuring glass with the cider and place next to the stove.

  2. Heat the oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently. After about 7 minutes, the onions will turn translucent and golden, and some of their edges will turn brown.

  3. When the onions start to stick to the pan, add ¼ cup cider and stir, freeing the onions from the bottom of the pan and scraping up the fond (the sweet brown bits) and mixing it into the onions.

  4. Continue to cook, stirring once or twice in the first minute, then let cook untouched for another 1 - 2 minutes, until the onions stick to the pan again. (The sizzle will also get louder.) Add another ¼ cup of cider and repeat this process until the onions are caramelized to your liking, then add salt to taste. (I like to use the full 2 cups which takes about 35 minutes.) Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.