I'm not a big fan of the mulled wine spice mixes that you can buy (or pre-bottled mulled wine from the shops!)
I much prefer to make my own mulled wine using spices from my spice rack. You get a better flavour, and you can titivate as it simmers away. This is how I make mine...
Ingredients:
- 2 bottles decent red wine (full bodied)
- 1 large orange, sliced
- 150g caster sugar (you can add a little more if you like it sweeter)
- 8-10 cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3-4 star anise
- grating of nutmeg
- A cheeky splash of port or brandy
Method:
Add all the ingredients (except for the port/brandy) to a pan, bring to the boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar, then simmer gently for 5-10 minutes at least.
At the very end, I add a little splash of port or brandy, just to liven things up a little!
If it doesn't all get drunk (unlikely!) then I happily reheat the mulled wine the next day, adding a little extra wine and sugar as needed. It tastes just as good, and sometimes better for the flavours having had time to infuse.
