Christmas is coming and we would like to share this recipe with you to get in the festive mood
Wine: No need to splurge on a pricey bottle — any basic bottle of dry red or white wine will do. (Or if you’re making a big batch, this is a great recipe to break out the boxed wine too!)
Fresh oranges: One of which we will slice and mull with the wine, one of which you can slice and use as a garnish if you’d like. (To minimize bitterness, feel free to peel the orange before simmering it in the wine.) Cinnamon: I love the making mulled wine with cinnamon sticks, but you could whisk in some ground cinnamon if that’s what you have on hand. Mulling spices: These vary in mulled wine from country to country, but whole cloves and star anise are my favorites, plus perhaps a few cardamom pods.
Sweetener: Feel free to add your favorite sweetener to taste. Sugar is classic, but I prefer a few tablespoons of maple syrup or honey. Extra liqueur (optional): Similar to sangria, it’s also traditional to spike your mulled wine with an extra bit of liqueur, if you’d like. I like to add a bit of brandy, bourbon or cognac, but any favorite liqueur will do here. (Or you can skip the extra liqueur if you prefer.)
To make mulled wine, simply........
Combine ingredients. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and give them a quick stir. Simmer. Heat until the wine just barely reaches a simmer over medium-high heat. (Avoid letting it bubble — you don’t want to boil off the alcohol.) Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours. Strain and season. Using a fine mesh strainer, remove and discard the orange slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise and ginger. Give the mulled wine a taste, and stir in your desired amount of extra sweetener if needed.
Serve. Serve warm in heatproof mugs, topped with your favorite garnishes.