Appleberry mulled wine

alcohol apple juice christmas cinnamon stick cinnamon sticks cocktail cointreau curacao drink festive fruit fruits indulgent red wine star anise winter

N/A

Enough for 12 glasses

Source

Ingredients

2 x 75cl bottles red wine (such as Merlot; better quality wine makes all the difference)

1l good-quality cloudy apple juice

115g caster sugar

1long cinnamon stick , snapped in half

2 star anise

3 tbsp orange Curaçao or Cointreau

a handful or so (about 100g/4oz) frozen mulled fruit or fruits of the forest or Black Forest fruits

3small red-skinned apples , sliced into rings

Method

Pour the wine and apple juice into a large saucepan and add the sugar, cinnamon stick and star anise. Heat gently, stirring once or twice, until the sugar has dissolved, then continue heating gently for another 15 minutes.

Just before serving, swirl in the Curaçao or Cointreau, throw in the frozen fruits and add the apple slices.