Fairy lights, hot chocolate, warm spices. These are only some of the things I love about this season! There’s nothing best than going to a Christmas market and enjoying a warm mug of mulled wine.
In Italy it’s called vin brulé and it simmers away all day long at the Christmas markets, filling the air with amazing aromas. There are a lot of variations: in Germany it’s called glühwein, in France vin chaud, in Spain vino caliente, but they’re all equally delicious.
My version is quite a traditional one. The only difference is that I like to add cardamom pods and star anise, which are not always present. The two fundamental spices are cinnamon and most importantly cloves, which give this drink its distinctive aroma.
HOW DO YOU MAKE ITALIAN MULLED WINE?
It’s really simple and easy. You’ll need:
- Red wine: traditionally Barbera or Nebbiolo, but you can use any dry red wine you can find. You could also make this with white wine for a different fun version!
- Fruit: I use one organic orange and 1 small apple. They add some more sweetness and fruitiness which complements the wine nicely. The only thing I recommend is peeling the orange, trying not to remove the white bitter part, and add both the peels and the juice to the wine.
- Spices: as I told you, the two fundamental spices are cinnamon and cloves. I also add star anise, cardamom pods and some nutmeg.
- Sweetener: you can use sugar, honey or any other sweetener. I think the amount of sugar depends on your tastes: I usually add about 70 grams (1/3 cup), but you can add more or less.
- Liqueur (optional): if you want to make this extra boozy and special, you can add any kind of liqueur you want: brandy, cognac, orange liqueur, Tentura, anise liqueur…
All you need to do is throw everything into a saucepan. Alcohol evaporates at 78°C (172°F), so just wait for it to lightly simmer and then cover it for about 15 minutes to let the flavours intensify. Then strain it and serve it warm in heatproof mugs. It’s the perfect drink to comfort you on a cold winter day!
Italian Mulled Wine
There's nothing better than enjoying some warm mulled wine on a winter day.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle of dry red wine (750 ml)
- zest from one organic orange
- 1 small apple
- 3 sticks of cinnamon
- 8 cloves
- a pinch of nutmeg
- 3 cardamom pods
- 2 star anise
- 50-100g of sugar
- 1/4 cup of liqueur (optional)
Instructions
- Peel the orange carefully, leaving out the white bitter part. You can also add the juice if you want.
- Combine all the spices, wine and fruit into a saucepan. Add as much sweetener as you like, I suggest starting with a few tablespoons and adjusting it later. If you'd like, you can also add your favourite liqueur (brandy, cognac, orange liqueur).
- Cook on medium heat until it simmers slightly, then turn the heat down and cover for about 15 minutes.
- Strain the mixture and pour it in some heatproof mugs. Enjoy it warm with some more orange slices, star anise and cinnamon sticks!
