Mulled wine is indispensable on cold winter days, especially in snowy weather; it is an excellent accompaniment to reading a book or chatting with friends.
Mulled wine is traditionally used at Christmas markets and outdoor festivals in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. The first mulled wine recipes are from the 17th century. According to historical recipes, spices, sugar, and egg yolk are added to red wine and served in chocolate cups. But of course, it is not necessary to stick to the old ways; it is enough to be inspired. You are free to create your own recipe. While making mulled wine, you can use different brands of wine and other ingredients.
But you can also give our special recipe a chance, which we have perfected after various research and many tries.
Cheers!
Ingredients:
- 1-2 bottles of wine
- 1 glass of water
- 2 large orange sliced,
- 1 apple sliced (Optional),
- Juice of the 2 oranges
- Roughly 8-10 cloves pierced in the orange slices
- 1-2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- Zest of a lemon
Directions:
Most people usually make a mistake during the preparation process and boil the wine. However, this only leaves you with a grape-flavored drink as the alcohol evaporates. The secret lies in following the correct steps:
- First, add water, sugar, honey, orange juice, apple, and orange peels with inserted cloves into a pot, stirring the mixture. Begin heating it on high heat.
- If you’d like to add ginger, you can do so a bit later. This way, its sharp flavor won’t overpower the mixture. Lemon zest, however, should be added last.
- The mixture needs to become syrupy. Let it simmer until the liquid reduces and it thickens slightly. It should reach a consistency looser than honey, allowing the flavors to fully meld together.
- At this point, add the red wine and immediately lower the heat. It is crucial that our elixir does not boil.
- The longer it rests, the more flavorful it will become.
- Finally, decorate your glass as you wish—get creative with winter berries, pine needles, or anything that inspires you!
*Tip: If you want to try different flavors in mulled wine, you can add vanilla seeds, tangerine/lemon peel or quince slices into the mixture. You can also get a different taste by reducing sugar and increasing the cinnamon. It’s your elixir to enjoy.
Bon appetite!
