It’s happening, the end of summer is nearly upon us.
While we might be getting treated to some last-minute warmer weather right now, autumn is only just around the corner. While summer ending is always a bit of a depressing affair (goodbye late-night pints in a pun garden), there are some great things about autumn.
So, dust off your jumpers and dig out your gloves, here are five autumnal drinks you can make at home that will warm your cockles.
Hot spiced apple
If sickly sweet flavours aren’t really your thing, try a hot spiced apple.
A bit like a warm apple juice, hot spiced apple is infused with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves for that classic winter blend. All you need for this is a saucepan, no slow cooker in sight. Simply boil some apple juice, add your spices and top up with some scoops of vanilla ice cream for a smoother texture. Plus, you can even top this up with a few splashes of dark rum – if you’re feeling the need for an extra kick.
Bramble cocktail
If hot drinks don’t do it for you, how about a timeless cocktail?
The bramble is inspired by the flavours of autumn with citrusy lemon, sugar and tart blackberries. With only five ingredients, it’s also a quick and simple cocktail to make for either yourself or when you have friends over.
All you need to do is fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add some gin, lemon juice and sugar and give it a good shake. Pour into some ice-filled glasses and drizzle some Crème de mûre on top for that deep red fade. Throw in some lemon slices and blackberries for that Instagrammable finish and you’re done!
Mulled wine
Ah, who doesn’t love a traditional mulled wine?
A true winter warmer mulled wine is perfect for getting into the winter spirit. Taking as little as five minutes to set up, it’s also a relatively low-fuss drink. Of course, you’ll need a few bottles of red wine as well as some oranges, lemons, cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves. Mixed together and left to stew for a few hours in a slow cooker will give that gorgeous Christmassy taste and aroma. Plus, your whole house will smell like a winter wonderland – who needs candles.
Indulgent hot chocolate
Of course, you can’t complete winter without a few hot chocolates sprinkled throughout.
Before you reach for that packet mix you see in the supermarket, why not give making one from scratch a go. Pick up some drinking chocolate, you can usually find the flaked chocolate rather than the powdered variety. Next, you’ll need some marshmallows and some full cream. Semi-skimmed milk will also work if you’re trying to cut down.
Put these all together in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat. Once bubbling away nicely, pour the content into a flask and give the mixture a good shake. Pour into some mugs for a perfect, frothy and rich hot chocolate.
Chai latte
For all the tea lovers out there, chai latte is the perfect autumnal treat.
Not to be confused with its coffee cousin, chai lattes are made using black tea and a mixture of those familiar winter spices. If you’re going to make any winter hot drink, you’ll already have the basic ingredients in. You’ll need cinnamon, cloves and ginger.
Simply heat up some milk in a saucepan to the point of simmering and drop in your black tea bags. Let these steep for a few minutes before removing the tea bags. Then, you will add in your spices and heat until piping hot. Finally, pour the blend into some mugs and
sprinkle some cinnamon on top for that beautiful finish.
There you have it, five traditional autumnal drinks you can make from the comfort of your own home. Will you be giving any of these a try?