Spiced Orange Wine Recipes

GLUEHWEIN

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer.
• Cut the orange in half, and squeeze the juice into the simmering water. Push the cloves into the outside of the orange peel, and place peel in the simmering water. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, until thick and syrupy.
• Pour in the wine, and heat until steaming but not simmering. Remove the clove-studded orange halves. Serve hot in mugs or glasses that have been preheated in warm water (cold glasses will break.)

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).

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.

WARM SPICED WINE

Steps:

• Combine merlot, sugar, orange peels, lemon peels, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg in a saucepan over medium heat; simmer until sugar is dissolved and flavors have blended, 10 to 15 minutes.

HOT SPICED WINE

Steps:

• Heat all ingredients except wine, orange slices and additional cloves to boiling in Dutch oven, stirring occasionally; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes.
• Remove orange peel and spices. Stir in wine. Heat just until hot (do not boil). Serve hot in mugs or heatproof glasses. Garnish each serving with orange slice studded with additional whole cloves.

SPICED ORANGES

Steps:

• Place orange slices in a large stainless-steel saucepan; cover with cold water. Simmer until skins are tender, about 1 1/4 hours.
• Remove oranges with a slotted spoon; place in a colander to drain. Discard water.
• Combine sugar and vinegar in the same saucepan; stir over low heat. Bring to a boil. Add spices; simmer 10 minutes.
• Add oranges and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes, or until skins are translucent. Cool.
• Layer oranges in sterilized jars, cover with syrup, and seal. The oranges can be used right away, but the flavor will be improved by waiting 4 to 6 weeks.

MULLED MERLOT

Steps:

• Place cinnamon sticks and cloves on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag., In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the wine, sugar, orange juice, brandy and orange slices. Add spice bag. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour or until heated through. Discard spice bag and orange slices. Serve warm; if desired, garnish with orange wedges and additional cinnamon sticks.

FRESH ORANGES WITH SPICED RED WINE SYRUP

Steps:

• Bring wine, 1 cup sugar, and cinnamon to boil in large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 18 minutes. Cool syrup completely. Cover and chill until cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Finely grate peel from 2 oranges. Mix peel and 1 tablespoon sugar in small bowl. Using small sharp knife, cut off peel and white pith from all oranges. Working over large bowl, cut between membranes to release segments. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover orange segments and sugared peel separately and chill.) Divide oranges and juice among 8 bowls. Drizzle syrup over and sprinkle with sugared orange peel.

SPICED ORANGE WINE

Steps:

• Bring all ingredients except oranges to a boil (reserve wine bottles and corks), stirring until sugar has dissolved.
• Remove zest from oranges in a continuous spiral using a vegetable peeler and cut off any white pith with a paring knife.
• Reserve oranges for another use and divide zest between empty wine bottles.
• Fill bottles with orange wine and cool, leave uncorked for1 hour.
• Cork bottles, then chill at least 5 hours.
• Cooks' note:.
• Orange wine can be chilled up to 1 week.