Nothing beats the smell of mulled wine brewing on a cold wintry day. This recipe uses common household spices and is nice and easy to make. If you’ve travelled the northern hemisphere during December, the aroma wafting from your pot will transport you back to festive village markets. Here at home, this drink is well suited to après ski gatherings and relaxing evenings.
Ingredients
1 bottle dry red wine (750ml)
3 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
3 star anise
½ cup brandy
¼ cup honey
1 orange, sliced in rounds
Extra orange slices, to garnish
Extra cinnamon sticks, to garnish
Method
1. For fresh feijoas, scoop out the pulp and place them in a pan to bring to the boil. This helps to soften them for processing. Keep a watchful eye and stir regularly to prevent them from sticking.
2. Blitz the softened feijoas in a food processor.
3. Once your feijoas are processed, combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan and heat to a simmer, again keeping a watchful eye and stirring regularly to prevent sticking.
4. Pour the contents of the saucepan into a sieve to strain the liquid. Let cool.
5. To store, seal the cordial in sterilized bottles and refrigerate.
Place all the ingredients into a medium-sized pot at medium heat. Slowly bring the pot to a simmer. Be careful not to boil the mixture. Once simmering, reduce the temperature to medium-low heat.
Allow to simmer gently for 10 minutes, reducing heat as required to avoid boiling. The goal is to allow the ingredients to infuse during gentle simmering, so keep a mindful eye on the heat and don’t hesitate to lower it. Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to stand and cool for a further 10 minutes before serving.
Serve your mulled wine warm, garnished with orange slices and cinnamon sticks for scent and visual drama.
If you’re not a brandy drinker or prefer not to purchase a bottle solely for this recipe, you can omit the brandy. And the variety of red wine you choose is up to you, though many agree that dry varieties work best.
In some European countries, it’s traditional to swim in icy water and be rewarded with a mulled wine upon exit. While some enjoy a brisk winter swim, those of you who don’t will be pleased to know this is not a requirement for enjoying mulled wine!
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