‘Tis the season to enjoy all the things that make our hearts sing, right?
I mean, just the thought of gathering over the holidays – especially after the two years we’ve just been through -makes me think that indulging, just a wee bit, will be good for the soul.
Are ya with me?
Now, you may be asking, “what does indulging ‘a wee bit’ look like?”
Well, case in point: a steaming cup of apple cider with a small shot of brandy for good measure topped with a crispy, homemade pastry mug topper…
Wouldn’t you say that this is just the right amount of indulgence? The goodness of fresh apple cider married with a wee shot of alcohol and a pastry (as well as the nostalgia of sipping it slowly by a roaring fire with your closest friends)? Yup…that gave me just the right amount of warm fuzzies!
Now, you may be thinking, “this is super cute, but do we really need to complicate things by making this pastry thingie?” Well, I say, “Yes indeed!”
I mean, don’t you usually have cookies with your warm beverage of choice? (the answer is yes if you weren’t sure) …and doesn’t apple + pie = life?
So, entertain me and listen up…
Grab some pastry dough (I had some in the freezer but please feel free to buy some from your local grocer)…
Give it a good shower of flour…
Roll it out and slice it into even strips (about 1/2″ wide)…do it with both pieces of pastry.
Use one to weave the strips through the other…
Once it’s all woven together, you’ll have a neat little basket weave just like this!
Using a round cookie cutter a bit bigger than your mugs, cut out circles, brush them with beaten egg and sprinkle with some sugar…
Now, I can’t even imagine one of your guests not completely freaking out when you serve them a warm spike apple cider just like this 😉
Seriously! Isn’t it the cutest??
And, if you’re too busy wrapping all your presents to try this today, pin the image below for another time – when you need more boozy apple cider in your life!! 🙂
Crispy Mug Toppers with Warm Boozy Apple Cider
Ingredients
- 2 portions pie crusts ( or you can use homemade) see notes in post for what type of dough)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten you can also use whipping cream)
- 1/4 cup sanding/course sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- additional flour for dusting
- 1 litre apple cider
- 4-6 shot brandy or congac
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- On a well floured board, prepare the crusts by rolling out pastry/pie dough (if you’re using your own homemade crust, you can roll it into rectangular shapes). Using a sharp knife/pizza cutter and a ruler (I use a plastic ruler from the dollar store that I cover in plastic wrap so it is always clean), slice each set of dough into 1/2 or 3/4 inch strips. .
- Arrange one set of pie strips about 1/4 inch apart on some parchment paper - this will make it easy to slide onto your baking sheet later. Create a lattice from the pie dough, weaving the strips together (see photos above).
- Place a sheet of parchment on top and gently roll the rolling pin over the dough to press the dough flat - this will keep the lattice from falling apart. Cut out rounds using a round cutter or bowl slightly larger than the mugs you plan on using to serve the cider. Press down firmly and, if necessary, use a sharp knife to go over he circle. Remove the leftover dough from around your cut out circles.
- Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown (alternately, you can bake this in an air fryer on the 'bake' mode at 350 for 15 minutes).
- Meanwhile, in a medium pot over high heat, warm the cider. Pout into mugs and add one shot of brandy/cognac to each mug and stir. Top with a pie circle and enjoy!!
