Sharing is caring!

Every year when school starts back, the temperatures start getting a bit cooler and there is a touch of fall in the air, I begin to crave apple cider. I stalk the produce section of the grocery store so I can grab up the first of what will be many gallons of apple cider the moment it hits the store shelf.

I drink it cold. I drink it hot.  I even cook with it. I’ve replaced the beer in my Hunter Carrots with cider. I have used cold cider in place of some of the water in my Thanksgiving turkey brine. I’ve snuck apple cider into lots of unusual places over the years.

Recently, I was reducing some balsamic vinegar for a sea scallop dish I was fixing when it occurred to me that apple cider would probably reduce really well.  I love the syrupy consistency of reduced balsamic vinegar and felt that if I could achieve that with cider it would make a delicious syrup to use on pancakes and waffles.

Making Cider Syrup was super easy but does take about 5 hours (mostly unattended) from start to finish. The result was an intensely flavored and extremely versatile syrup.

Boiled Apple Cider Syrup

1 Gallon fresh apple cider (a single variety cider with no preservative will taste the best but any cider will be good)

Pour one gallon of cider into a large, heavy bottomed pot such as an enameled cast iron Dutch oven.  Bring the cider to a boil over high heat. When it reaches a boil reduce the heat to medium low and simmer the cider for several hours. Stir the cider about every 30 minutes for three and a half to four hours. Once the cider has reduced down to about two cups you will need to begin watching it more closely.  At this point, you will want to stir the cider frequently as it cooks down to a thin but syrupy consistency.  The cider syrup is finished when it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.  Pour into a mason jar or other lidded container and cool. Store in the fridge. 

The cider syrup is great over pancakes and even better over pumpkin pancakes. It makes a great base for an apple cider vinaigrette dressing. It is amazing when transformed into Apple Cider Salted Caramel Sauce!

Apple Cider Salted Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup cider syrup (see recipe above)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoon butter
Big pinch of sea salt

Bring the apple cider syrup and the brown sugar to a boil over medium heat.  Boil for three minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream and bring it to a boil or one minute. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the butter one tablespoon at a time.  When all the butter is incorporated quickly stir in the salt and then pour the sauce into a mason jar while still hot. Allow it to cool. Store covered in the fridge.

Apple Cider Salted Caramel Sauce

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup cider syrup see recipe above
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoon butter
• Big pinch of sea salt

Instructions

 

• Bring the apple cider syrup and the brown sugar to a boil over medium heat.  Boil for three minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream and bring it to a boil or one minute. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the butter one tablespoon at a time.  When all the butter is incorporated quickly stir in the salt and then pour the sauce into a mason jar while still hot. Allow it to cool. Store covered in the fridge.

Please follow and like us: