Can alcohol be tasty? Yes, and mulled wine is a drink, which is a direct confirmation of this. It is made from heated wine, sugar, spices and citruses. Thanks to this mixture, the drink acquires an amazing aroma and rich taste, for which many people love it. The most important thing is that it is easy to cook it yourself. What is needed for this?
Ingredients for a classic recipe.
This magical drink, traditionally consumed in the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria and Switzerland at Christmas markets and outdoor events, originated in Central Europe. And many are interested in the original recipe for mulled wine with orange and cinnamon. To prepare a drink, the following ingredients are required:
- Wine. Semi-dry or dry. Red, of course. Ideal - Claret, French Cahors or Bordeaux. Suitable analogs. The main thing is not to take fortified (sweet) wines.
- Spices. The tastes are different for everyone, but the classic recipe involves the addition of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, barberry, anise, cumin.
- Fruit additives. Lemon peel, slices of orange, sometimes apples.
- Sweetness. There is one of two things: some add sugar, while others add honey.
These are the main ingredients, which includes the classic mulled wine recipe with orange and cinnamon. This drink, however, is prepared in so many variations that it is already difficult to say with absolute certainty which one is the best.
Proportions
So, now you can directly voice the recipe for mulled wine with orange and cinnamon. The proportions are as follows:
- One bottle of red wine.
- Incomplete glass of water (150 ml).
- 10 cloves.
- One big orange.
- Half a lemon.
- One big stick of cinnamon. You can replace 1.5 tablespoons with ground.
- 0.2 teaspoons of ginger and nutmeg.
- Sugar to taste.
Having collected all the necessary products, you can start cooking.
Step-by-step instruction
The recipe for mulled wine with orange and cinnamon is very simple. The drink is prepared for 20 minutes, and this is taking into account the preparation of the products. You just need to follow this instruction:
- Cut the orange and lemon randomly. For a richer taste, chop them into smaller pieces. For a light aroma, slicing is suitable.
- Put the fruit in a pan, sprinkle with spices, pour 150 milliliters of boiling water.
- Turn on a small fire and let cook for 10 minutes. Do not forget to stir.
- After time, pour all the wine into the pan.
- Reduce fire to a minimum.
- Heat the drink to 60-70 ° C. It is important not to let it boil. Even the appearance of small bubbles cannot be allowed.
- Add sugar to taste, mix thoroughly.
- Turn off the fire, let the drink brew for 5 minutes.
Then you can pour it into glasses. That's all! At home, preparing a mulled wine with a prescription is not difficult. The most important thing here is not to let it boil.
Why not bring to a boil?
Many people neglect this advice and in the literal sense of the word “forget” the saucepan with the preparing drink on the stove. Some believe that it will be possible to extract more flavor and aroma from the ingredients if exposed to a higher temperature. So, this is not so.
When boiling, mulled wine immediately loses its taste. And the alcohols also evaporate, so the alcohol content also decreases.
Cooking nuances
There are some recommendations that every person who wants to make mulled wine with cinnamon, wine and orange should consider. These are the following tips:
- Do not want to watch in your glass pieces of spices or fruit slices? Then you can strain the drink through a strainer into another container before pouring.
- If you want to make the drink more spicy, then you can add bay leaf, peppercorns, saffron.
- Mint, currant leaves, lemon balm, thyme, sage, raspberry, linden will add a special smell.
- If you decide to add anise, then you need to be careful in terms of proportions. It has a very specific flavor. So one star is enough. And it will successfully complement the taste of anise cardamom and cinnamon.
- If you want to make the mulled wine stronger (although the alcohol content in it usually does not exceed 7%), you can add rum or cognac. To taste, they are best suited to wine.
By the way, it is recommended to serve mulled wine either in mugs or in tall glasses with a convenient handle made of thick glass.
With honey
Recipes for making mulled wine at home by technology are no different. But the ingredients used are yes. People especially like a drink with the addition of honey. Many attribute even healing properties to it. And here is what you need to prepare it:
- A bottle of red wine.
- Half an orange and a lemon.
- 2 tablespoons of honey.
- One apple.
- Glass of water.
- A few grains of cardamom.
- A teaspoon of cinnamon.
Having tasted mulled wine with cardamom, cinnamon, orange and honey, you can prepare another option. He is no worse! Everything is the same, only instead of cardamom - a teaspoon of mashed ginger (better than fresh, but powder is also suitable) and a few pieces of cloves.
With the addition of juices and tea
The classic recipe for mulled wine with cinnamon, cloves, orange and wine does not imply a dilution of the drink. However, as it turned out, it is very tasty. Just instead of water, juice is added to the saucepan. The most common is pomegranate and cherry. Some make mulled wine with the addition of apple juice. They say that it blends perfectly with Cahors. And you need only 0.5 liters of juice and an alcoholic drink in the amount of 300 ml.
With white wine, by the way, mulled wine is also cooked. This recipe includes half a glass of water, 750 ml of drink, sweet orange, 100 grams of sugar, 3 pieces of cinnamon and a few cloves.
Also, many people like the black tea option. Before cooking, you need to brew half a liter of this drink (stronger), and then pour the spices in a saucepan.
By the way, many cook mulled wine on pure wine without diluting it with water. The fortress in this case, of course, will be higher. But it is still recommended to take the weakest wine. And then cook on the smallest fire that is possible. Spices and fruits must be steamed, it takes time. And since the wine heats up quickly, and there is a risk that it will begin to boil, you must carefully monitor it.