With Christmas round the corner, what better way to get into the festive spirit than a nice batch of warm home-made mulled wine? Here’s our foolproof recipe full of delicious warming spices and fruit, which can be made and enjoyed in 20 minutes.
Equipment suggestions
- Saveur Selects Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- Ladle
- Knife
- Heat Proof tumblers (or any heat proof drinkware)
- Peeler
- Wooden board for serving
A saucepan can work equally as well, and often (if you have one) a slow cooker on low to keep the batch warm throughout the evening is a great solution too.
Ingredients (serves 6)
- 750 ml bottle of red wine
- 2 large cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 3 cloves
- 3 strips of lemon peel
- 1 orange, sliced (don’t peel)
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
Method
- Put all the ingredients into your pot / Saveur Selects dutch oven, and put on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
- Turn up the heat slightly, and simmer gently for around 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 20 minutes, whilst the spices infuse into the wine.
- To serve, heat gently without boiling until warm. Place dutch oven / pot on a wooden board to serve from stovetop to table. Pour the wine into heat proof tumblers using a ladle.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick in each tumbler and a slice of orange / lemon peel and enjoy.
When serving, make sure it’s in heatproof glasses, or keep it simple with your usual mugs. A couple of alternative suggestions our team have had are:
- Adding a splash of sloe gin or brandy for a little twist of flavor
- Some are fig lovers and swear by adding in a few dried figs
- Depending on the wine you use as your base, popping in some vanilla pods or ginger can also add some depth to your mulled wine
- A top tip? If you’ve over spiced, have some honey to hand and sweeten as needed
When serving, you can definitely just use the orange slices / cinnamon stick from the pan, however if you have some left over then a freshly sliced piece of orange will give it a delightful kick of colour.
And if you haven’t used a Dutch Oven before, this is why we rate them (all year round, not just for Christmas):
Our enameled cast iron dutch oven is perfect for making mulled wine thanks to its innovative and contemporary design features. With two layers for improved insulation, the double-walled lid ensures better temperature and moisture retention - without the added weight of a traditional cast iron lid. The condensation rings and drip ridges lock in moisture and distribute flavor too, keeping your mulled wine warm and infusing the spicy orange flavors throughout.
