Festive cheer by the glass
21 Dec 2006 {View Comments}
If there’s one thing I really enjoy about Christmas time is, that it’s a perfect excuse to make mulled wine. There’s nothing better than coming in from the cold to a piping hot glass full of this great tasting drink. So, just in time for those Christmas parties here’s a recipe for mulled wine that I really love. I tried it out last night on a lot of friends and they seemed to love it as much as I do. We also tried some mulled cider, it was my first time making it (or even tasting it) so was a surprise hit.
Mulled Wine (Gluhwein) Recipe
This will make enough for about 6 to 8 glasses full. Just multiply up the ingredients for making more. This recipe is loosely based on this one that I found.
Ingredients you will need
- 1 litre red wine (The cheaper the better)
- 1/6 litre brandy
- 1/8 Litre orange juice
- 1 orange (sliced)
- 1 orange (sliced for garnish)
- 60g white sugar
- 1 1/2 cinamon sticks
- 1/2 lemon (sliced)
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp mace
- 4 whole cloves
How to make it
- Grate the orange and lemon to remove their peel and then quarter them.
- Pour the wine into a large pot and begin heating over low heat.
- As it begins to warm, add sugar and spices.
- Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Add the brandy + orange juice.
- Heat thoroughly, but do not allow to boil!
- Add the lemon and orange quarters and peel.
- Steep for about 1 hour over low heat.
- Keep tasting and adjust the mixture as necessary.
- Strain to remove the bits.
- Serve hot and garnish with orange slices (or cinnamon sticks)
Mulled Cider Recipe
Ingredients you will need
- 2 litres apple cider
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 8 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 orange, quartered with peel
How to make it
- Pour the apple cider into a large pot and begin heating over a low heat
- Add all of the rest of the ingredients into the pot and stir
- Heat thoroughly, but do not allow to boil!
- Steep for about 1 hour over low heat.
- Keep tasting and adjust the mixture as necessary.
- Strain to remove the bits.
- Serve hot and garnish with orange slices (or cinnamon sticks)