Apple Soup

Makes About 3 1/2 Cups

• 3 Small Macintosh Apples
• 1 1/2 Cups Water
• 1 1/2 Cups Apple Cider
• Grated Zest and Juice of 1/4 Lemon
• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 1 Vanilla Bean, Split and Scraped
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Black Peppercorns
• 1/2 Nutmeg, Cracked
• 1 Whole Clove
• 1 Star Anise

Core and chop the apples. Put them in a large saucepan with the water, cider, lemon juice, and sugar. Tie the lemon zest, vanilla seeds and pod, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, nutmeg, clove, and star anise in a piece of cheesecloth and add to the pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer until the apples break down, about 1 hour.

Remove the cheesecloth sachet and strain the soup through a fine strainer, pushing down the solids. Line a strainer with at least 4 layers of cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Strain the soup again and put the refrigerator overnight to clarify.