Brandy Mulled Wine Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a good substitute for brandy in mulled wine? ›

Brandy: Similar to sangria, it's also traditional to spike your mulled wine with an extra bit of liqueur. Brandy is the traditional choice, but Cointreau (or another orange liqueur) or tawny port are also delicious alternatives.

The best wine for mulled wine is dry and full-bodied, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Zinfandel, or Syrah. These will stand up to the other flavors and ensure the spiced wine won't be too sweet. Use Whole Spices. I don't recommend ground spices, as they will float on top of the wine and not incorporate properly.

Does the alcohol cook out when making mulled wine? In short, yes, some of the alcohol burns off when boiling mulled wine, but you should only be gently bringing up to the boil and simmering for around 15-30 minutes which isn't enough time to completely remove all alcohol traces.

Ainsley Harriott recommends mulling wines in a slow cooker and says two hours at low temperature gives excellent results and should retain most alcohol content.

Method. 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.

Most mulled wine is served in a mug. Ceramic or porcelain mugs will help to protect your hands from the heat of the spiced wine, and the mug handle will make it much easier to drink. Glass mugs are another good option for serving mulled wine. However, there are special mulled wine glasses.

Add whole spices, apple cider, and orange citrus. Simmer to allow the spices to infuse the wine with their warmth and the other ingredients to marry into a single, delicious drink. Add cognac and warm wine into mugs (you can strain if you like.) Add an orange/lemon peel and cinnamon stick to each.

The red wine base in mulled wine brings its own set of health benefits. Resveratrol is associated with heart health benefits and may help protect the lining of blood vessels, lower bad cholesterol levels, and prevent blood clots. When consumed in moderation, red wine has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.

The beauty of mulled wine is in your ability to try out the older spices at the back of your cupboards in new and exciting ways. After creating your delicious concoction, warm the mixture slowly over low heat. Be sure not to bring your pot to a boil, as that will boil away all the alcohol.

But no matter what you start with, and no matter all the other variables, if you're really keeping mulled wine warm for 10 hours, it's very likely some—but definitely not all—of the alcohol will evaporate. But the flavors of the mulled wine will also start to fade and get muddier after hours and hours of heat exposure.

Can you cook mulled wine for too long? ›

Resist the urge to crank up the heat on your mulled wine! If your wine is steaming, it's hot enough. Wine is delicate. Heat it too long or too high, and eventually your wine will taste too spicy, syrupy and almost raisin-like, and the alcohol will evaporate over time.

You need to infuse the wine long enough with the spices to take on their flavour but DON'T ON ANY ACCOUNT LET THE MIXTURE BOIL as you'll be left with a bitter taste. Slow and low is the way to go. And it shouldn't be served piping hot, just comfortably - and comfortingly - warm.

If you're making mulled wine, you shouldn't completely care about the quality of the wine. All of the subtle notes in wine will be overshadowed by the intense spices and sweetness you add, so again, don't buy a Burgundy premier cru or a Trousseau from Jura or even a Chinon.

You can reheat mulled wine as many times as you like, as long as it hasn't been overheated. Always use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you plan to use your leftover mulled wine at a later date, keep it in the fridge for up to three days.

A common use of brandy is to flambé desserts like bananas foster, cherries jubilee, and bombe Alaska (a meringue dessert). On the savory end of things, brandy goes well with all sorts of meats and seafood. It's often used to deglaze the pan and form a sauce or combined with other liquids to braise a cut of meat.

If a co*cktail calls for “brandy,” you can always use something more specific, like Cognac or Armagnac from France. If you don't have access to those, a 50/50 split of American Whisky and Aged Rum could be delicious.

made from any fruit wine such as pear, plum, or apple (Calvados) as long as it is labeled with the fruit it is made from. The taste of brandy varies depending on the fruit it is made from and its age, but generally they are sweeter than whiskey and taste of flowers, fresh and dried fruit, and citrus zest.

At its core, fortified wine is about enhancement and preservation. By adding a distilled spirit, usually grape brandy, winemakers not only increase the alcohol content but also introduce a new dimension of flavor. This process, dating back centuries, was initially a way to stabilize wine for long voyages.