Mulled Wine Recipe

Halloween signals the start of the winter season in our home. Curtains are drawn, the wood-burner is lit and I always make a batch of mulled wine, it fills the house with lovely fruity, spicy scent.

Below is my basic mulled wine recipe - I hope you enjoy it!
I've popped my spiced apple juice recipe too

Mulled Wine

• 750ml bottle of cheap red wine
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 1 1/2 tbsp cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks (or small handful cassia bark)

I also added

• A star anise
• A few slices of lemon

Stick the whole lot in a pot and heat to dissolve the sugar giving a bit of a stir along the way.

Strain into glasses or mugs (I like to ladle it out through a tea strainer) You can leave it on a very low heat for an hour or so- the longer you leave the spices in, the stronger the flavour.


Alternative, kiddie friendly, non-alcoholic version (follow the same instructions)

Spiced Apple Juice

• A litre carton of apple juice
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 1 1/2 tbsp cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks

I recommend you buy spices in an asian food shop (we go to a chinese supermarket) The prices are so much lower than the ordinary supermarkets.


Optional extras - Once you have the basic recipe you can easily adjust it for flavour or for looks (I love a few lemon slices and a star anise, as I think it just looks like something from Mr Fezzywig's Christmas Party)

• Lemon slices
• Orange slices
• A star anise
• Grated Nutmeg
• Knob of ginger

Enjoy :)