Nothing marks the festive season more so than the aroma of warm mulled wine (and the taste too!). The spicy, aromatic scent instantly whips up a warm feeling inside and is a great indication that Christmas is on its way!
So, no matter if you are out and about visiting local markets to get a taste for what’s to come, enjoying one of our foodie breaks or looking to impress your friends at home, mulled wine is sure to make any occasion, and it’ll taste even better when you’ve made it yourself!
Mulled wine is ever so simple to make, so why not give it a whirl?
Here’s our guide to making mulled wine, and we’ve ensured that the recipe is for a ‘party-sized’ amount, so that you can share to your heart’s content:
Servings – 12
Ingredients:
· 2 unwaxed oranges
· 1 lemon, peel only
· 150g caster sugar
· 5 cloves, plus extra for garnish
· A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
· 2 bottles of fruity, unoaked red wine
· 150ml ginger wine
· 5 cardamom pods, bruised
· 1 cinnamon stick
Method:
1. Peel and juice one orange. Add to a large saucepan along with the lemon peel, the sugar and the spices.
2. Pour in enough wine so that you have covered the sugar.
3. Allow to gently heat until the sugar dissolves while stirring your ingredients on occasion.
4. Bring your mulled wine recipe to the boil and allow to cook for 5-8 minutes until you can see that you have made a thick syrup.
5. While the recipe is boiling, stud the second orange with six vertical lines of cloves, then cut the orange into segments which can be used as a garnish.
6. Reduce the heat and pour the remainder of the wine into the saucepan, followed by the ginger wine.
7. Leave to gently heat through and then serve with the pre-made orange segments as a garnish.
8. Enjoy!
Image: rpavich under Creative Commons.