There are hundreds of ways to make mulled wine. The taste of the drink depends on the chosen wine and related additives: spices, spices, sweeteners. The right combination of them is equivalent to the highest culinary skills, but knowing the properties of each spice, anyone can make excellent hot wine.
It is better not to add ground spices to mulled wine (with the exception of ginger), as they make the drink cloudy, spoiling its aesthetic appearance. In one serving of the drink, more than 4-5 spices are rarely used at the same time. Oversaturation with spices spoils the taste, and many of them have the opposite properties. For novice cooks, I recommend purchasing special sets of spices for mulled wine, which are well balanced. After trying several options, you will find the best one for you.
Wine selection
Any cheap dry or semi-sweet wines are suitable. It is better to refuse fortified (stronger than 12%) and dessert types, because on their basis the drink may turn out to be too sweet or will reek of alcohol.
Traditionally, mulled wine is made from red grape wines, which are considered healthier. White wines are more suitable for light cold mulled wines. But in the process of heating, they sour, therefore, they require the mandatory addition of sweeteners.
Seasonings
Fresh fruits and berries. They give mulled wine a unique aroma with light flavor notes. Oranges, lemons, tangerines, grapefruits, apples and pears are added to hot wine. Some recipes use strawberries, strawberries or raspberries.
Dried fruits. Raisins, dried apricots, prunes, figs, dates add piquant notes and stimulate the immune system. It is better not to use more than two types of dried fruits in one serving of the drink, as they interrupt the taste of each other.
Honey and sugar. Adjust sweetness. In addition, honey strengthens the immune system and relieves inflammation of the throat, but it must be added to ready-made warm mulled wine, since beneficial substances are quickly destroyed in a hot drink. Sugar saturates the body with energy due to glucose and stimulates the production of serotonin, the hormone of joy.
Специи
Cinnamon. Mandatory component. It has a spicy aroma and a pleasant sweet taste. It is preferable to use sticks in mulled wines, since ground cinnamon loses some of its aromatic properties and often contains harmful chemical additives.
Carnation. A classic ingredient in most recipes. It has a strong easily recognizable aroma and specific taste. The smell of clove is reduced by strong heating. The later it is added during cooking, the finer the flavor will be. Cloves in mulled wine are valued for their antimicrobial, antiseptic, anti-cold properties and improves digestion.
Pepper (red, black, allspice). Red pepper is used to make mulled wine from white wine, it completes the overall flavor composition of the drink. Black pepper is a good antiseptic, it is part of the red mulled wine for colds. Due to its too strong aroma, allspice (Jamaican) pepper is used extremely rarely, in some cases it is added only by experienced chefs who have developed their own unique recipes.
Anise. It is valued for its tart sweetish taste and spicy smell. In mulled wine it goes well with cinnamon and cardamom. Increases appetite, has antipyretic and analgesic properties.
Star anise. A bittersweet spice with pungent notes that retains a lingering aroma even when heated strongly. Star anise is valued for its medicinal properties. It clears the breath, improves digestion and alleviates coughs.
Barberry. Brings a slight acidity to mulled wine, refreshing the taste. Has no useful effect.
Ginger. It is well recognized by its sharp spicy aftertaste, the notes of which are preserved in any mulled wine, even despite other additives. For a soft balanced taste, ground ginger is more suitable; lovers of spicy drinks will appreciate the root. Ginger is useful for colds and hypothermia.
Bay leaf. Brings in mulled wine resistant unique aroma. It is added towards the end of cooking, otherwise the drink will smell like soup. Bay leaf is considered a natural antibiotic and improves the metabolic process.
Nutmeg. Gives mulled wine a burning, spicy or tart taste. The properties of this spice are fully revealed only with strong heating, so it is better to add it from the very beginning of cooking. In hot mulled wines, nutmeg is useful in that it reduces blood pressure, strengthens the immune system and helps overcome depression.
Cardamom. A pungent spice with a hint of lemon and a pleasant smell. It is used both in hot winter and cold summer mulled wines. Cardamom stimulates the brain, nervous system, strengthens the immune system, relieves spasms in the throat when coughing, promoting expectoration.
Coriander. It is often added to white wine mulled wine, although it is also found in some red wine recipes. Coriander improves digestion, stimulates appetite and saturates the body with a whole range of useful elements: vitamins, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, iodine, etc.
Saffron. A rarely used spice that adds a subtle but very persistent flavor to mulled wine. Saffron doesn’t mix well with other supplements. It has tonic, analgesic and restorative properties.
Mint and Melissa. Rare ingredients for mulled wine, sometimes used in cold white varieties. Mint improves well-being and uplifts mood, and lemon balm is famous for its anti-inflammatory effect.
Classic mulled wine recipe.