Cider Beetles

Get ready for the holidays!! I know a company that sells these for $7 each but i like to include them in holiday baskets. I like to make these for the kids to have cider during the fall and winter holidays as a tradition in our very new household. they are very cute and great as a gift. Tie with a festive ribbon and attached to a bottle of apple juice along with the directions. Also these can be made inexpensively if you purchase your spices from a store selling them in bulk by weight.

Steps

Adult portion:.

Slices oranges in half and scoop out pulp without breaking the orange rind.

Reserve pulp for another use or discard.

Place orange halves cut side up on a wire rack on a baking sheet.

Bake at 250f for 2 hours until dry and hard.

Let cool.

Kid portion:.

Pack brown sugar firmly into each orange half , mounding slightly.

Arrange spices in the brown sugar to resemble beetles: use a cinnamon stick as the body , a nutmeg as the head , 2 allspice for the eyes , and 6-8 cloves for the legs / feet.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Directions for use:.

Unwrap the beetle and drop into 1 1 / 2 quarts apple juice or cider.

Simmer 30 minutes.

Strain whole spices and orange rind from cider to serve.

May add 1 / 2 cup of brandy , and heat well.

Store leftover cider in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

oranges, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, whole nutmegs, whole allspice, cloves