Spiced Brandy Wine Recipes

CLASSIC MULLED WINE

Steps:

• To prepare the oranges, if using 2 small, slice one orange into rounds and slice the other in half. If using 1 large orange, slice it in half through the round middle, then slice one of the halves into rounds. Place the rounds into a medium heavy-bottomed pot or small Dutch oven. Squeeze the juice from the remaining oranges into the pot.
• Pour the wine into the pot, followed by the brandy. Add 1 tablespoon of the sweetener for now. Add the cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves.
• Warm the mixture over medium heat until steaming (about 5 minutes), and keep an eye on it. When you start seeing the tiniest of bubbles at the surface, reduce the heat to the lowest of low.
• Carefully taste, and add another tablespoon of sweetener if it's not sweet enough for your liking. If it's not spicy enough to suit your preferences, continue cooking over very low heat for 5 to 10 more minutes.
• Serve in mugs with your desired garnishes! If you're adding cranberries as I did, you can add them to the pot to make it look extra festive.
• If you expect to polish off the mulled wine within 20 minutes or so, you can keep it on the stove over extra-low heat (it will become more spicy with time). Otherwise, remove it from the heat, cover, and rewarm over low heat if necessary. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days, covered (pour it through a strainer if you don't want it to become any more spicy than it already is).

SPICED BRANDY WINE

Steps:

• Bring red wine, brandy, sugar, cloves, lemon zest, cinnamon sticks, and star anise to a simmer in a saucepan, covered, over high heat.
• Remove from heat; steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve. Ladle into 4 mugs; garnish with fresh lemon-zest strips.

HOT SPICED CHRISTMAS WINE

Steps:

• Use a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from the oranges in strips, being careful to remove only the orange part, leaving the pith behind. Then, juice the oranges into a large, heavy-bottomed pot.
• Pour the red wine and white wine into the pot with the orange juice. Place the strips of orange zest, ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and brown sugar into the pot with the wine mixture; stir to dissolve the sugar.
• Cover and heat over medium-high until heated through, but not boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and heat for an hour or longer to bring all of the flavors together. Adjust the sweetness by adding more brown sugar, as necessary. Strain and serve hot with a splash of brandy, if desired.

MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Using a peeler, remove the peel in strips from 1 orange then juice the orange. Slice the other orange into rounds and reserve for garnish.
• In a nonreactive saucepan, combine orange peel, juice and the rest of the ingredients. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to high, bring mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently until flavors meld, about 30 minutes. Strain the mixture, discarding the solids.
• Ladle into cups or mugs. Garnish each with a reserved orange round.