Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without mulled wine. It's very simple to make and you can mix and match your own festive spices.
You'll need:
- 2 bottles of a good red wine (Chianti, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot work well)
- 250g caster sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 10 cloves
- Peel of 1 lemon
- Peel of 1 lime
- 2 clementines
- 1 grated nutmeg
- 1 whole vanilla pod, halved
- 1 apple, sliced and cored
- Brandy (optional)
Instructions for making mulled wine
- Peel the clementines and add the orange, lemon and lime peel to a pan on medium heat with the sugar
- Squeeze in the juice of the clementines
- Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, vanilla pod and nutmeg
- Pour in just enough red wine to cover the sugar
- Heat gently until the sugar dissolves entirely and then bring to a boil for 5 minutes. You should be left with a thick syrup
- Turn the heat down and simmer and add the rest of the wine
- Stir in the apple slices and ladle into glasses
Tip: You can also add a few shots of brandy if you wish.
