Level: Easy; Prep time: 15 minutes; Cook time: 25 minutes; Total time: 40 minutes, plus cooling time
This recipe makes use of the inevitable apple waste from making pies, or any other apple recipe for that matter. Simply toss cores in a bag and freeze until ready to use. There is no need to worry about the seeds; cooking the cores eliminates the arsenic toxins.
Formosa oolong is semi-oxidized and falls somewhere between green and black tea. It is an excellent brew for mocktails. Double the sugar in this recipe, and you will have a syrup thick enough for your pancakes and waffles.
Apple and Formosa Oolong Syrup and Mocktail
Ingredients
Apple oolong syrup (makes 1 cup)
- 6 assorted apple cores (8 ounces)
- 5 black cardamom pods , lightly crushed
- 4 teaspoons Formosa oolong tea leaves (I use tea.o.graphy)
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Mocktail (serves 1)
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice
- 1 1/2 ounces apple oolong syrup
- 3 ounces sparkling water
- 1 thyme sprig , for garnish
Instructions
Syrup
- Put apple cores, cardamom pods, tea leaves, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then continue to boil, uncovered, until the liquid reduces by about half, about 20 minutes.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing on the softened apple cores with a wooden spoon to release additional liquid.
- Pour 1 cup of apple liquid into the saucepan. Add sugar and return the pan to the stove over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves and the liquid gets slightly thicker but still quite pourable, about 5 minutes. Cool and strain into a bottle for storing. Keeps in refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
Mocktail
- Pour lemon juice and syrup into a shaker and shake. Then pour evenly into a rocks glass with ice. Top with sparkling water and stir gently. Garnish with a sprig of thyme.
Stephanie Cameron was raised in Albuquerque and earned a degree in fine arts at the University of New Mexico. She is the art director, head photographer, recipe tester, marketing guru, publisher, and owner of edible New Mexico and The Bite.
