December 3, 2018 – Ho-ho-ho! Who’s up for some mulled wine?
If you’re anything like me, you will need a substantial amount of booze to get you through the cold winter days and the upcoming holidays – to warm both your body and spirit. And if mulled wine is your Christmastime drink of choice, then read on because we bring you five simple recipes for this heartwarming holiday favorite. Of course, mulled wine is as easy to make as it is to spoil so don’t skip the tips & tricks part below!
First off, if you don’t want to end up with the thin, tart stuff you can typically find in any Christmas market, take some time to make your mulled wine from scratch and don’t take any sort of shortcuts. That means avoiding the use of pre-packaged mulling spices as this will make your mulled wine flat and one dimensional, and it can easily overpower other flavors and aromas. Second, do not use aluminum or copper pots for heating the wine because metal can impart a metallic taste while the alcohol is warming.
When it comes to choosing the right wine, it should complement other flavors and aromas. Be it red or white, pick something fruit forward and tannic with a relatively high alcohol content so that it can withstand some heat without turning sour or bitter and tasting like burnt grapes. The worst thing you can do is to overheat the wine or boil it – ugh, the horror!
Treating your wine with care and handpicking the best spices for mulling will result in a full, well-rounded flavor, making it well worth your buck, time and effort.
Also, as a general rule of thumb, you don’t want to use the most expensive, top quality wine for mulling, but also don’t expect wonders by using some artificially flavored plonk. Instead, get some decent table wine and make it shine!
Here are the recipes:
Cranberry Pomegranate Mulled Wine
1 bottle red wine
16 oz pomegranate juice (fresh, if possible)
8 oz cranberry juice
4 oz apple brandy
4 oz orange juice
4 oz – 6 oz honey
1 orange, sliced
1 apple, sliced
6 pcs star anise
3 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp whole cloves (about 12 pods)
Thickly slice oranges and stud their skins with cloves. Slice apples. Add all liquid ingredients into a crockpot and stir well. Add the clove-studded orange slices, apples, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Turn the crockpot to warm. Let heat 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.
Adapted from Craftandcocktails.co
Mulled White Wine
2 (750 ml) bottles of dry white wine
2 oranges, sliced into rounds
1/2 cup brandy (optional)
1/2 cup honey or sugar
16 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
4 pcs star anise
Combine all ingredients in a non-aluminum saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours, but be careful not to boil it! Strain, and serve warm with desired garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, extra star anise.
Adapted from Gimmesomeoven.com
Spiced Rum-Spiked Mulled Wine
1 (750 ml) bottle red wine
2 cups apple cider
1/4 cup spiced rum
3 tbsp. honey
1 orange, zest and juice
1 apple, thinly sliced
3 cinnamon sticks
1 pc star anise
Stir together wine, cider, rum, and honey in a slow cooker. Add orange juice and zest, apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Gently stir to combine. Leave covered on low heat for one hour. Serve hot garnished with an apple slice.
Adapted from Delightfulemade.com
Swedish Gløgg
1 (750ml) bottle dry red wine
1 cup white rum
1 cup bourbon
1/2 cup brandy
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark raisins
1/4 cup almonds, blanched
1 whole orange peel
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
5 cardamom pods
Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan, and allow to warm over medium-low heat until small bubbles form along the edges. Strain the solids, and serve warm.
Adapted from Hapanom.com
Cleopatra’s Elixir of Life
1 (750 ml) bottle red wine
4 large sage sprigs
3 large mint sprigs
3 dried figs, chopped
10 cloves
Combine the ingredients in a crockpot or heavy bottomed pan. Let heat 30 minutes to 1 hour, and serve warm.
Adapted from Vinepair.com
If you decide to try any of these, let us know how you liked it and stay tuned for more delicious recipes by following our dedicated gourmet page.
