I always use a slow cooker to make my mulled wine. It keeps the wine at a nice consistent temperature and doesn’t risk boiling the alcohol away – and it also fills the house with them most amazing festive smells.
Pop this on a few hours before you have guests arriving to fill the house with Christmas cheer – or make a batch to enjoy whilst you’re wrapping gifts or dressing the tree.
Basic Mulled Wine
- 1 bottle (750ml / 25 oz) bottle dry red wine
- 2 cloves
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 orange, zested and sliced
- 60g golden caster sugar
To make more, just double the quantities on all ingredients.
Method
- Pour wine into the slow cooker pot on a low setting. Add all ingredients to the wine and leave for at least an hour while the house fills with the most festive smell ever.
- Taste the mulled wine; if it is not ‘spiced’ enough, you can leave for longer or add a few more of the spices. Depending on the type of wine used, you might want to add some extra sugar at this point, too.
- When it tastes just right, remove all of the floating spices (but leave the orange slices). The mulled wine can now be kept on a low heat until serving.
- To serve, pour into glass mugs and add a cinnamon stick or a slice of orange.
Sloe Gin Mulled Wine
If you want to make your winter tipple a just little more boozy, you can add a shot of sloe gin to each glass of right before serving. Celtic Country Wines sell their own version if you haven’t been organised enough to make your own this year!
