Sam’s historical recipe corner: Wassail punch

The smell of roasting apples and cinnamon that fills the house during preparation is reason enough to make this drink, but it’s also a wonderfully warming tipple, perfect for the festive period. Wassail punch is a medieval drink and, in the south-west and south-east of England at least, was drunk as part of a ceremony or ritual that took place to ensure a good cider-apple harvest the following year. I’ll drink to that!

Ingredients

• 6 small apples, washed and cored

• 1 litre cider (I used dry)

• 2 cinnamon sticks, crushed

• 2 pinches ground cloves

• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

• 1 lemon, sliced

• Sugar, to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 190˚C/gas mark 5. Score the apples and place in an ovenproof tray and roast for 45–50 minutes, or until skin is soft and starting to split.

Heat the cider in a saucepan over a low heat and add cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Stir well and heat through until the liquid starts to foam.

Add the lemon slices and roasted apples, and give the liquid a good stir – if there is any apple juice left in your ovenproof dish, add this, too. If you want to add sugar (I added about 4 tablespoons), now is a good time to do so – add it gradually and taste as you go along. Serve hot.

BBC history Magazine team verdict:

“A lovely punch that was very easy to make.”

“Tastes a bit like apple crumble in a glass.”

“I’d drink this to knock out a cold!”

Difficulty: 2/10

Time (including roasting apples): 1hr

Recipe courtesy of the BBC's 'Make Your Own Victorian Christmas'