Quick Mulled Wine Food

MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Combine the cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, zest, juice, cloves and star anise in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour into mugs, add an orange peel to each and serve.

EASY MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Pour the red wine into a large saucepan. Add the clementine, cinnamon stick, star anise, dried figs, cloves and black peppercorns. Heat very gently until simmering, then turn off the heat.
• Fish out the whole spices and peppercorns with a spoon, then stir in the brandy. Ladle into mugs, or heatproof glasses to serve. You could drop in a slice of clementine to each.

INSTANT POT MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Add the cider, cloves, cinnamon, allspice and peppercorns to a 6-quart Instant Pot®. Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high pressure for 3 minutes (see Cook's Note).
• After the pressure cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release and wait until the quick release cycle is complete. Be careful of any remaining steam and unlock and remove the lid.
• Strain the cider through a sieve, then discard the spices and return the cider to the pot. Set to saute on high, then add the red wine, port, half the clementines and half the apples. Cover with the glass lid and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes (take are not to let it boil).
• Set the pot to keep warm and garnish with the remaining clementine and apple slices.

MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Place the water, sugar, orange & lemon peels, whole cloves, and a pinch of nutmeg in a saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and allow the sugar to dissolve; this will let the spices' flavors and aromas to blend together. Once it comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat and gently simmer for 5 minutes.
• Strain this syrup and return it to the saucepan. Add the wine and turn the heat to low. Warm the wine mixture for a couple of minutes, but do not allow it to simmer.
• Serve in cups/glasses and enjoy!

MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Place the sugar and all of the spices (except the nutmeg) into a large, heavy-bottomed pan.
• Add the bay leaves and use a speed peeler to pare the zest of the lemon and oranges. Add to the pan, slice the oranges in half and squeeze in the juice.
• Pour in just enough of the wine to cover all the ingredients. Place the pan over a medium heat, bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until all of the sugar is dissolved and you have a lovely fragrant syrup.
• Add the rest of the wine and the crème de cassis, then gently heat for 10 minutes, until warm and fragrant. Be careful not to let the mixture boil. Serve hot, with fresh nutmeg grated on top, and mince pies.

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 MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Stir water and sugar together in a saucepan until sugar dissolves. Add lemon, cloves, and cinnamon stick; bring mixture to a boil and cook until flavors combine, about 10 minutes. Strain and return water mixture to the saucepan; discard lemon, cloves, and cinnamon stick.
• Stir claret wine into water mixture; heat until hot but not boiling, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve flecked with nutmeg.

EASY MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Combine red wine, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, lemon peel, and orange peel in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Heat gently, but don't boil. Stir in 2 tablespoons of sugar, and once dissolved, taste to see if you'd like to add more.
• Keep hot on medium to low heat for 20 minutes to let the flavors infuse the wine. Serve your mulled wine hot in glasses or mugs.

QUICK CIDER-MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Bring wine, brandy, apple cider, star anise, cloves, and 2 cinnamon sticks to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until flavors are infused, about 15 minutes.
• Divide among mugs, garnish with 6 cinnamon sticks, if using, and serve.
• Do Ahead
• Mulled wine can be made 2 hours ahead; cover and store at room temperature, or chill up to 3 days. Rewarm over medium-low heat before serving.

QUICK MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a heatproof jug (or in a saucepan).
• You can alter the proportion of orange juice to red wine according to taste.
• Microwave on HIGH for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes (or heat in a saucepan on the stove) until hot but NOT BOILING.
• Stir.
• Pour into wine glasses and serve.