Mulled Wine
Ingredients
1 (750 ml) bottle of dry red wine
1 orange, squeezed and sliced into rounds (also peeled, if you would like a less-bitter drink)
8 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
3-4 tablespoons sugar, honey, or maple syrup to taste (or your desired sweetener)
optional add-in: 1/4 cup brandy (or your favorite liqueur)
optional garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, extra star anise
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the mixture just barely reaches a simmer over medium-high heat. (Avoid boiling - you don’t want to boil off the alcohol.) Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours.
Strain, and serve warm with your desired garnishes.
Notes
*Feel free to use your choice of sweetener here, or leave the mulled wine un-sweetened.
**You can also place the oranges, cloves, cinnamon, and star anise in a cheesecloth. Then simply strain and pull out the bundle when ready to serve.