Apple Cider Chai w/ Maple Coconut Whipped Cream

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One of my favorite things about Fall is Apple Cider. I LOVE Apple Cider and it pretty much becomes an obsession for me because I try to find various unique ways to use it in my cooking. And I have done just that over the years. It seems like every Fall I come up with at least 2 recipes where I can use Apple Cider.

Since Thanksgiving is 18 days away I thought it would be a great idea to come up with a tasty beverage that you can add to your Thanksgiving table.

But first, let me tell you about a few little mishaps that could have happened with this recipe. But Thank God for 2nd chances & redemption.

Can’t handle the caffeine load of Black or Chai Tea? No problem! Neither can I! The good news is there was no Black or Chai Tea used in this Apple Cider Chai. Instead, I used a variation of different spices to get that Chai Tea flavor. To see what I am talking about please see the recipe below.

While making the Coconut Whipped Cream I almost panicked because I currently don’t have a mixer. We accidentally left our mixer behind in our old house when we moved a year ago. But the good news is I was able to make a TOTALLY AWESOME Maple Coconut Whipped Cream without a stand mixer. I just used a hand whisk and it still turned out great. Of course, this will require a little extra arm work that might make your arm a little sore from whisking but it is so worth it!

I ONLY recommend that you use Thai Coconut Milk when you are making Coconut Whipped Cream. With my first try, I used a different brand and it ended up looking curdled while I was whisking. Unfortunately, I did not capture any pictures of that. But with my 2nd try, I used the Thai Coconut Milk and it turned out perfect.

Apple Cider Chai w/ Maple Coconut Whipped Cream

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This Apple Cider Chai can be served warm or cold

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Ingredients

Apple Cider Chai

• 4 Cups Apple Cider
• 1-inch piece of Ginger, peeled
• 2 Cinnamon Sticks
• 8 Whole Cloves
• 6 Cardamom Pods
• 4 Whole Black Peppercorns
• 1 Whole Star Anise
• Ground Cinnamon, for topping

Maple Coconut Whipped Cream

• 1 Can Full Fat Coconut Milk, chilled and not shaken
• 2 tsp. Maple Syrup
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Instructions

For the Apple Cider Chai

1. In a 2 quart saucepan, combine the Apple Cider with the ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, black peppercorns, and star anise. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Let simmer for 15 min. until fragrant.
2. Strain the cider and divide between 2 mugs. Finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and dollop of the Maple Coconut Whipped Cream on top.

For the Maple Coconut Whipped Cream

1. Open the chilled coconut milk can and scrape off only the solid cream at the top. You can save the liquid at the bottom of the can for smoothies if desired. Place the cream into a chilled bowl and beat with a hand whisk until fluffy. Beat in the maple syrup and cinnamon.