Mull It Yourself!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 bottle of red wine. We recommend Jack & Gina Zinfandel as it’s stacked with rich, jammy, fruity notes
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5-6 whole cloves
- 2 star anise
- 1 vanilla bean, split
- 1 orange (zested, juice added)
- 1 lemon (zested, juice added)
- 4-5 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
- 60ml cognac or dark rum
- 1 small piece of ginger (peeled and sliced)
- Nutmeg (freshly grated)
- Handful of fresh cranberries or dried cherries
- Edible gold flakes (optional, for extra luxury)
This version adds depth by incorporating more complex ingredient combinations like fresh ginger, vanilla and cranberries, producing a richer deeper flavour helped by the addition of cognac or dark rum.
INSTRUCTIONS
Zest the orange and lemon and add the zest to a saucepan with the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, vanilla bean, and ginger.
Pour in half a cup of wine and heat gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes syrupy.
Add the rest of the wine, orange and lemon juice, cranberries or dried cherries, and bring the heat down to just below a simmer.
Let the wine steep with the spices for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cognac or dark rum just before serving to enhance the flavours.
Strain the wine, taste for sweetness, and adjust if needed. Grate a little fresh nutmeg on top when serving.
Garnish with a sprinkle of edible gold flakes for an elegant final touch.
