As much as you may not want to admit it, there is a good chance you’ve popped a bottle or two and never quite seen the bottom. A few days ago, I found myself in just such a predicament. I am not much for sweets, but I did have some leftover bottles, some fresh fruit, and a bit of goat cheese calling my name.
Loosely speaking, mulled wine is any wine that has been combined with spices and then warmed. While it does not *have* to be served warm, it usually is. It is very easy to make and extremely versatile. You can drizzle it over pancakes, pound cake, ice cream, yougurt, or fruit. It keeps forever, and you can make it out of even the cheapest of wines.
Most people will probably tell you that you have to make it from red wine. That is not the case. You can make it from white wine AND using wine that is somewhat spoiled is not a problem.
Making the syrup is a quick and easy process. You can mix varietals and the recipe is very forgiving. I strongly suggest that you play around with the ingredients until you find the perfect balance.
That said, here is a rough guideline for you to use. Some popular spices to rely on include the following: Cinnamon sticks, cloves, sugar, vanilla pods, honey, and star anise. Got some dried fruit around? Feel free to toss it in.
In this case, I served it over a poached pear, fresh goat cheese, and homemade crostini.
Recipe:
1 bottle of wine (or in this case…wine mixture)
3/4 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
Cooking:
- Get a non-reactive sauce pan, toss in all the ingredients and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce temperature and simmer for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. You will be looking for a syrupy consistency and the reduction should be approximately 1/3 the original volume.
- Strain and transfer to a storage container. You can toss it in the fridge for an indefinite amount of time if you’d like.
Remember, those are just guidelines. When I made it Sunday I used honey and I did not have any nutmeg.