Spiced Apple Mule

While I may not be the biggest fan of Vodka as a spirit, the moscow mule is easily one of my favourite cocktails. It’s all about showcasing the flavour of the ginger and supporting it with the acid from some lime juice. By using a neutrally flavoured spirit like vodka to add some alcoholic bite you don’t get in the way of the flavour of the ginger.

This version of the cocktail we’ll be making came to fruition when I was unsure about how to use some poached apples I had made several weeks ago and their poaching liquid. I poached apples in their own juice and lightly flavoured the liquid with a couple of cinnamon sticks. The apples quickly made their way into some pie dough and were consumed hastily.

The liquid I ended up with seemed like it would be a perfect fit for this cocktail. The flavour of green apples pairs perfectly with the ginger and lime, and the flavour of ginger is so strong in the cocktail that the delicate cinnamon flavour adds depth without getting in the way.

For the best quality drink use the best quality ingredients.

A moscow mule made without good ginger beer has no kick and very little flavour. This is the most important ingredient for a good mule. The quality of apple juice is less important but as with any other cocktail, juice which you’ve pressed yourself on the day is always going to have the best flavour. Quality juice brands with pressure pasteurized juices are a suitable alternative. If you do press your own apple juice be sure to add a half teaspoon of ascorbic acid(vitamin C, check your pharmacy) or citric acid (baking ingredient, check your supermarket) so it doesn’t discolour. I’m no vodka connoisseur, top shelf vodka tastes the same as midrange vodka to me so I’d say just use whatever you can get your hands on that doesn’t smell like nail polish.

Ingredients

1.5oz Vodka
2oz Apple Juice
0.25oz lime juice
3-5oz ginger ale
3 cinnamon sticks
Apples to garnish

1. Combine the vodka, apple juice and lime juice inside the cocktail shaker. Snap two cinnamon sticks in half and add to the shaker.

2. Add 6 ice cubes and shake until well chilled.

3. Strain through a fine strainer into a copper mug (or alternative, suitably large vessel).

4. Top the mug up with ice cubes and top up with ginger ale.

5. Garnish with a little fan of apples, a cinnamon stick and a lime wedge.

To make the fan of apples, cut off the face of an apple (pretend you’re cutting an apple through the centre but you’ve decided to leave the core attached). Cut into thin slices and fan out 3-4 slices.

Hungry for more chef secrets?

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