Twelfth Night, Apples and Wassailing:
A Traditional English Wassail Recipe
Twelfth Night is just a day away as I write, and I am minded to share an old English recipe with you today, a recipe that will be just the ticket for a night of feasting and revelry, as well as being perfect to serenade any apple trees you may have in your garden on the 6th January, which is Twelfth Day or Epiphany. A traditional hot, mulled drink, Wassail is making a comeback after being in a culinary wilderness since the beginning of the 20th century; today’s recipe is based on a very old recipe from Suffolk in the East of England, and is basically a spiced hot cider that is fortified with port and sherry and is served with hot, baked apples.
Wassail was a traditional Christmas and New Year toast, derived from the Anglo-Saxon words for “to your health” – “waes hael”, the recipe of the same name is a spiced and very alcoholic hot beverage that was offered to visitors throughout the festive period, or in some cases taken around the community in a large wooden bowl decorated with evergreen leaves (usually holly and ivy) and festoons of bright red ribbons. There is no definitive recipe for “wassail” the drink, as it varies from county to county, and was often dependant on local ingredients and libations such as ale, cider, apple juice and fruit, OR whatever was used to “top” the wassail bowl up as it was taken around to individual houses in the local community.
However, it is generally agreed that the main components are the spices and alcohol, as it is a drink to wish all who partake of it, good health. Although wassail is usually associated with Christmas and the New Year, it was very often offered as a toast at weddings and christenings, as well as at harvest suppers……..it’s basically a boozy beverage to be enjoyed when making merry! My recipe today serves 6 to 8 people and is fragrant with aromatic spices, roast apples, oranges and lemons, as well as Suffolk cider, or should I say “Cyder” to use the old English spelling.
As well as imbibing in a mug or two of hot booze, wassail is also accompanied by singing…….and it is popular as a beverage to enjoy whilst “wassailing” apple orchards. Although the practice of wassailing apple orchards has all but died out now, there is a village in Cornwall, Grampound, where wassailing still takes place every New Year, and the Wildlife Trust in Staffordshire are hosting a big Wassail this year too, with Morris Dancers, Mulled Apple Juice sampling, a procession and offerings to the local apple trees. More local London events for Twelfth Night celebrations and wassail can be found here: Twelfth Night celebrations
It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t end today’s post with a wassail song, and one of my favourites is a traditional apple wassailing song from Somerset, where they also still celebrate wassailing on Old Twelfth Night which is the 17th January; bread that is soaked in cider is placed on the branches of an apple tree whilst onlookers sing wassail songs…..
Old apple tree we wassail thee
And hoping thou will bear
For the Lord doth know where we shall be
‘Til apples come another year
For to bear well and to bloom well
So merry let us be
Let every man take off his hat
And shout to the old apple tree
Old apple tree we wassail thee
And hoping thou will bear
Hat fulls, cap fulls, three bushel bag fulls
And a little heap under the stair
Hip! Hip! Hooray!
…….before I sign off, I must mention my local version of wassail – “Lamb’s Wool” – Lamb’s Wool is made with ale instead of cider and is a wassail toast from Yorkshire to “mutton and wool” the staples of local trade and agriculture in the Yorkshire Dales. The apples are roasted as in my Suffolk recipe for wassail, and spices, sweet wine and sugar are also added, but, the apples are then skinned and mashed with the pulp being added which is supposed to represent and resemble lamb’s wool.
Whatever your last tipple before “Dry January”, I hope you enjoy Twelfth Night and Epiphany and I will be back next week with some new 5:2 diet recipes, as well as some thrifty “penny saving” ideas for the New Year. Waes Hael! Karen
Traditional English Wassail – Mulled Cider
Print recipe
| Serves | serves 6 to 8 people |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 15 minutes |
| Total time | 30 minutes |
| Meal type | Beverage |
| Misc | Pre-preparable, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Christmas, Formal Party, Halloween |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 6 small apples, cored
- 6 teaspoons soft brown sugar
- 1 orange
- 6 cloves
- 200g caster sugar
- 2 litres cider
- 300mls port
- 300mls sherry or Madeira
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 lemon, halved
Note
A traditional English Wassail recipe that originates from Suffolk which is a delectable hot, spiced mulled cider with sherry and port and is served with the all important baked apples. A Yorkshire version called "Lamb's Wool" is made with ale instead of cider and is served when the apples have burst, so the pulp looks like lamb's wool in the mulled ale.
Directions
| Step 1 | Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. |
| Step 2 | Cut around the middle of each apple with a sharp knife and place them in an oven proof dish. Fill each apple core cavity with a teaspoon of sift brown sugar. Stick the cloves in the orang and place it with the apples in the dish. Add a little water, about 6 tablespoons and roast in the pre-heated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the apples are soft but still retain their shape. |
| Step 3 | Leave the apples in the dish to keep warm and take the orange out - cut it in half and place it on a large sauce pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and the juices from the apple roasting dish to the sauce pan and gently heat until the sugar has dissolved. |
| Step 4 | Bring the mixture to the boil and then turn it down immediately and keep it warm until you need to serve it. |
| Step 5 | When you are ready to serve the wassail, ladle the fruit and spiced into a large punch bowl and then pour the wassail into the bowl. Add the apples by floating them on top and serve straight away in warmed mugs or cups. |
| Step 6 | The apples can be eaten afterwards as a delectable dessert with cream or custard. |
Heidi Roberts says
I love traditions and traditional recipes like this! Your photos are beautiful too.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Heidi! Happy New Year to you too!
Janie says
The only wassail I’ve ever had is port, sherry and apple free – just a spiced hot cider (which is flipping heavenly I must say!) your version looks more like a pudding to be served with clotted cream and scoffed with a great big spoon 🙂
Janie x
PS consider it pinned!
Karen Burns-Booth says
THANKS! 🙂 Wassail should always have apples in it, as I understand Janie, but, yours sounds boozy enough to be a damn fine libation!
Choclette says
Cor blimey, I had no idea wassail was associated with Christmas. I always thought it was around the apple harvest time. Also didn’t know about Grampound which is just down the road (sort of). I love your ancient feasting posts. Perhaps my subconscious knew all about it as I made mulled cider this Christmas rather than mulled wine – infinitely preferable.
Karen Burns-Booth says
I thought you might be interested in the Cornish connection Choclette! 😉 I am a BIG fan of mulled cider too, it’s somehow more fragrant than mulled wine, if you see what I mean!
Janice says
I always enjoy your heritage blog posts and a nice glass of warming punch would be perfect on a cold day like today.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Janice, I love historical recipes as you know and am constantly researching new “old” ones to try and read about.
Simon @ Zest and Herbs says
Twelth Night goes by completely unnoticed by most in Britain now so it always surprises me to hear about all the old forgotten traditions like wassailing that go with it. It’s still a major date in at least the Spanish-speaking world, but maybe we ought to bring it back here – surely an extra holiday to ease us back into January wouldn’t go amiss!
Karen Burns-Booth says
I agree Simon, Twelfth Night and Epiphany used to be marked and recognised here, with much fun and revelry as well as good food and boozy tipples such as this recipe for Wassail. Thanks for stopping by to comment, Karen
Jonathan Fletcher says
Love a drop of mulled cider
ChopinandMysaucepan says
Dear Karen,
The Wassail looks divine. I like your wooden table and country style crockery as it give a beautiful rustic sense to your photography.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much for your lovely comments and welcome to Lavender and Lovage! Karen
Sue Lau says
Hi Karen! “Lambs Wool” is not a toast to mutton. It actually derives from “Lammas Ubhal” which refers to the a drink being made from apples (ubhal) gathered at the time of the harvesting of first fruits (Lammas) which would have been fermented into hard cider. Wassailing itself predating Christmastide celebrations with the celebration of cyclical celebrations honoring the Green Man, represented by two opposing attributes of trees (Here we come a’wassailing, among the leaves so green) and the Green Man celebrations also the source of the song “Holly and the Ivy” in it’s original form about the two aspects of the God-king (the Oak and the Holly) in a play of how the seasons change with the Oak king as the father figure and the Holly king as the son and the sacrificial nature each give to each other at opposing times (Midsummer and Yule). All derived from British pagan mythology, at least to the best of my knowledge. Glad to see you putting up new posts!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hi Sue!
Thanks for that, all of which I knew from my old historical cook books and my research……however, in Yorkshire where I come from, the drink is used as a toast to lamb and wool, incorrectly in a historical sense as you state, but it’s a local custom, as the locals make their money by rearing sheep for wool and mutton!
There is also a great website here with more of the historical information that you mention:
http://oakden.co.uk/lambswool/
So, lambs wool is seen as a local Yorkshire toasting drink, for Twelfth Night and the festive period, and I suspect most of the shepherds and farmers are unaware of the true historical meaning of the drinks name!
I’m so pleased you are as interested in Heritage recipes as much as I am……thanks for stopping by as always,
Karen x
Karen Burns-Booth says
PS: The apple pulp that floats on top of the drink was supposed to represent wool, hence the connection with Lambs Wool! K xx
Robyn McKenzie says
I have made lambswool from our apples. To get the wool effect, you roast the apples, then scoop the pulp from the skins then whip the pulp. If you have the right apples, it will become white and fluffy and float on the top. I have also had it with a little whipped cream folded into the apple and floated on top. That is soooo good, if not a little naughty.
We may also add rum or brandy to the hot mix depending on the reason. When you are out on a freezing, wet night to check the sheep, nothing brings you back to life better than a hot mug of Lambs Wool or Wassail…
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks for sharing your tips here Robyn, it’s always interesting to learn new methods! Karen
Danielle says
You have a lovely website. My partner and I will be going a’wassailing on January 21st in Fife with the Greener Kirkcaldy group. I am really looking forward to it.
Karen Burns-Booth says
That sounds like fun – have a great time and thanks so much for your lovely comments too! Karen
Christine O'Neill says
Dear Karen,
I’m in the U.S. Does the cider in your recipe refer to sweet, fresh cider or to alcoholic cider, such as Magner’s? I’d like to try your recipe. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Christine O’Neill
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hi Christine, the cider in my recipe is for what you call Hard Cider in the US, as in alcoholic cider and not apple juice, I hope that helps! Karen
Christine O'Neill says
thank you!
Kat says
I’m making this on Sunday for a Christmas in July celebration. It looks delicious and we are all looking forward to trying something a bit different. We are having a bit of fun with it and wassailing our fruit tree, though it is winter here so we may end up wassailing the potplants under the patio if this rain doesn’t let up… Thank you so much for sharing your recipe, I’m enjoying exploring your site 🙂
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks for your lovely comments Kat, and I am so pleased you enjoy what I do here too! Karen
Kat says
The wassail was delicious, everyone enjoyed it and it filled the house with the most delicious smell. We fished out the apples when the bowl was empty and had them warmed up with a bit of custard and cream the next day – yum! They aren’t pretty, but they taste great. I’d be tempted to make it just for the boozy apples 🙂 This recipe is definitely a keeper 🙂
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks for letting me know Kat and I am so pleased you all loved it too! Karen
Phil says
Hi! I’m from Canada and want to make this recipe for Epiphany 2020. However, I’m slightly confused because here at home, cider can refer to both an unfiltered, non-alcoholic apple juice or a slightly fizzy, alcoholic apple juice sometimes called hard cider.
Can you let me know what is used in Suffolk? Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Epiphany!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hi Phil, when I say cider, it is in the British sense, as in hard cider as in alcoholic! Hope that helps! Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Epiphany to you too! Karen