Glühwein (mulled wine)

(serves 10 cups)

This wonderful sweet and spiced mulled wine makes a great welcoming drink for a cold winter night dinner party! I still remember the first time i came across this lovely aromatic drink at the Christmas markets in Europe, so extremely addictive and it is simply the smell of Christmas with the cinnamon and spices filling the air! 

Prep time: 10 min
Cooking time: 1.5 hr

Ingredients
2x 750mL bottle red wine
1.5 cup water
1 cup white sugar
3 cinnamon stick
3 star anise
2 oranges + 1/2 extra orange for serving (cut into thin wedges)
20 whole cloves

Method
1. In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks and star anise. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, and simmer.
2. Cut the oranges in half, and squeeze the juice into the simmering water. Push the cloves into the outside of the orange peel, and place peel in the simmering water and continue to simmer for 30 minutes, until syrupy.

This keeps the cloves in place so you don't have to go digging for them later!

4. Pour in the wine, and heat until steaming but not simmering. Remove the clove-studded orange halves

5. Serve hot in mugs (not glass as it may break!) with a couple of wedges of thinly sliced orange!