Hot, spiced mulled wine is one of the quintessential drinks of Christmas. The smell of the spices and the hot wine makes the house smell wonderful and what better way to welcome guests to your festive get together?

I’m not keen on mulled wine (or mulled cider) to be too sweet, so just sweeten enough to suit your preference and leave the wine on a low heat so everything slowly heats and infuses together.

This is so easy to make and you can do it on the stovetop, or in a slow cooker and you can customise the spices and spike with brandy, rum or the liqueur of your choice!

Ingredients – double for a crowd, halve for 2!
2 bottles of red wine – one that you would drink
1 large orange, sliced
1-2 lemons, sliced
2 small clementines
A few cranberries (optional)
8 cloves (or more)
Cinnamon sticks
Sweetener of your choice to taste – caster or brown sugar/honey/maple syrup
Brandy (optional)

Method:
Stud each clementine with the cloves and then add everything to a pan and heat slowly. Don’t let it boil, just leave it on a low simmer and check the sweetness.

To serve, ladle into heatproof glasses or mugs and add a little extra brandy (if using) and don’t forget the mince pies. Merry Christmas!