Mulled Wine
This Mulled Wine is a holiday favorite. It’s your favorite red wine spiked with brandy and simmered with citrus, maple syrup, and warm spices.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 oranges thickly sliced
- 2 lemons thickly sliced
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 6 cloves
- 2 bottles red wine Use a full-bodied red, like Merlot, Shiraz, or Malbec
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 2 star anise
- 1 cup cranberries
Instructions
- Put the sliced oranges and lemons, maple syrup, cinnamon sticks and cloves into a heavy-based pan add a splash of red wine and bring to the boil for 5 minutes or until the wine has reduced to a thick and fragrant syrup.
- Add the rest of the wine to the pan along with the brandy and star anise. Reduce the heat to low and heat for approximately 5-10 minutes or until the wine has warmed through. Do not bring to the boil.
- Remove from the heat, add the cranberries and ladle into mugs.
- Serve with a cinnamon stick and star anise.
Notes
- Mulled wine is so quick and easy to make at home. The warming spices, heady red wine and kick of brandy make this a delicious drink to enjoy this holiday season.
- The best red wine to use for Mulled Wine is a full bodied red. We recommend Merlot, Shiraz or Malbec.
- You should use wine you would be happy to serve to guests at a dinner party so this is not the time to use a cheaper wine and expect it to taste good. Nor should you use anything super expensive because when you add the spices you will change the notes of the wine. A mid-range wine is perfect.
- The reason we cook the spices with the sugar and a splash of wine is to get a really good base flavor without burning off any of the alcohol.
- When you add the red wine and brandy do not bring them to the boil or you’ll burn off the alcohol.
- This Mulled Wine can be reheated a number of times but never to the point of boiling.
- You can leave the brandy out or substitute it with something like bourbon or cointreau.
- Storage: Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.