Vin Chaud Mulled Wine Food

VIN CHAUD (FRENCH MULLED WINE)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cut or peel a strip of skin from the orange with a sharp paring knife or a vegetable peeler, approximately 1 x 5 inches in size. Save orange for another use.
• Carefully remove as much of the white pith from the piece of zest as possible, since it will add bitterness to the wine.
• Combine wine, sugar, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, and peeled orange zest in a large saucepan over very low heat.
• Heat mixture until it nearly reaches a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Do not allow wine to come to a boil, or alcohol will evaporate and the flavor of the vin chaud will be affected.
• The wine will be at its optimal temperature when the sugar has dissolved and steam rises when mixing spoon is lifted from wine.
• Maintain this temperature to keep wine warm and let wine steep with spices to develop flavor. The longer it steeps, the stronger the flavor.
• Strain wine through a fine-mesh sieve or a cheesecloth-lined colander into a clean saucepan. Discard spices.
• Cover pan and let vin chaud stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
• Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of cognac to 4 individual warmed mugs or heatproof glasses before ladling in the mulled wine.

VIN CHAUD (MULLED WINE)

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients together in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to just under a simmer over the lowest heat setting on the stovetop. Do not allow the wine to boil. The mulled wine is hot enough when the sugar has dissolved and pulling and lifting a spoon from the wine brings up steam.
• If desired, strain the spices from the wine by pouring it through a fine-mesh sieve or a cheesecloth-lined colander.
• Add 1-2 teaspoons of Cognac to a mug and ladle the mulled wine over it.

MARCHé DE NOëL VIN CHAUD - FRENCH SPICED MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Wrap the cardamom pods and cloves in a piece of cheesecloth or muslin.
• Mix the rest of the ingredients, apart from the cognac, together in a large saucepan. Add the bag of spices. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over a low heat. Do not allow the wine to boil.
• The mulled wine is hot enough when the sugar has dissolved. Add the Cognac to the saucepan when the sugar has dissolved and ladle the mulled wine through a tea strainer (or colander) into punch cups, mugs or glasses.

MULLED WINE

Steps:

• Put the red wine, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, lemon zest and sugar in a large pan. Cook on a low heat for 10 mins.
• Remove from the heat and cool, leaving to infuse for about 30 mins.
• To serve, heat without boiling, stir in the sloe gin (if using, see tip below) and pour into mugs or heatproof glasses.