Mulled Wine

Ingredients

• 4 bottles red wine - go for something not too expensive, but with a big flavour
• 4 pints / 2.25 litres hot water
• 4 scant teacups granulated sugar
• 8-10 oranges (Un-waxed if possible)
• 4-5 lemons (Un-waxed if possible)
• 1 miniature bottle of rum/brandy (to taste, but better not over-done)
• 20+ cloves
• a good pinch of cinnamon

Method

• Put the water into the preserving pan with the sugar and bring to the boil, stirring to ensure that the sugar dissolves rather than burning onto the bottom of the pan.
• Wash one of the oranges and stick the cloves into it.
• Wash and slice the remaining fruit with its peel on and add it all to the boiling water.
• Add a good pinch of cinnamon.
• Simmer for about 45 minutes.
• Add the wine and brandy/rum.
• Bring it back to just below a simmer, check for sweetness and serve. If the mulled wine is too sharp, add a little more sugar dissolved in a small quantity of hot water.

If you double the quantities, you won't need to double the brandy/rum, but you really will need double the fruit - that's where the delicious flavour comes from.