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The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
44 | Calories |
1g | Fat |
12g | Carbs |
1g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 14 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 44 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 1g | 1% |
Saturated Fat 0g | 2% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 14mg | 1% |
Total Carbohydrate 12g | 4% |
Dietary Fiber 6g | 20% |
Total Sugars 2g | |
Protein 1g | |
Vitamin C 7mg | 35% |
Calcium 106mg | 8% |
Iron 1mg | 7% |
Potassium 99mg | 2% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Mulled wine or apple cider are welcome hot beverages at fall and winter gatherings; the warm spices offer a comforting flavor and add a special touch to any party. And mulling spices have a side benefit—your house smells wonderful when guests arrive.
This spice mix makes a nice gift for friends who enjoy mulled cider or red wine. If you are giving spice bags as a present, be sure to include recipe instructions for how to use it at home. For at-home storage, keep the bags in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
For this recipe, you will need 14 five-inch squares of double-layer cheesecloth and 14 (10-inch) lengths of white string.
Click Play to See These Mulling Spices Come Together
"Mulling spices make a great gift, especially for teachers (with a bottle of wine or a jug of apple cider). They also do double-duty as potpourri. This recipe reminds me of the holidays and apple-picking season. Loved it!" —Diana Andrews
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Ingredients
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3 ounces cinnamon sticks
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6 whole nutmeg
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1/3 cup coarsely chopped dried orange peel
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1/3 cup coarsely chopped dried lemon peel
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1/4 cup allspice berries
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1/4 cup whole cloves
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2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
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Place the cinnamon sticks and nutmeg in a heavy-duty freezer bag, press the air out, and seal.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
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Pound the spices with the bottom of a rolling pin, small heavy skillet, or kitchen mallet to break them into small pieces.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
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Place the crushed spices in a bowl and stir in the orange peel, lemon peel, allspice, cloves, and crystallized ginger.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
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Place about 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture in the center of each 5-inch square of double-layer cheesecloth. Alternatively, you can use empty single-serve tea filter bags.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
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Tie the cloth securely with string and use it to prepare mulled cider or wine.
The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker
How to Use
- Each bag will spice 3 1/4 cups (a 750-ml bottle) of red wine or 1/2 gallon (8 cups) of apple cider.
- To make mulled red wine, combine the wine, 1/3 cup honey or sugar, and the spice pouch in a pot. Warm over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring once in a while to make sure the sweetener is dissolved. Ladle the liquid into mugs, discarding the spice pouch.
- To make mulled apple cider, all you need is the spice pouch and cider. Just place in a pot, bring the mix to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for about half an hour. Discard the spice pouch, and serve the hot cider in mugs.
Tips
- Mulling covers up many of the subtleties of wine, so don't waste money on the really good stuff. Look around on the middle shelves for medium-priced bottles—not too cheap, but not much more than twenty dollars.
- You want a big, bold, dry red wine to shine through the mulling so you don't get a mouthful dominated by the spices. Go with a Malbec, Zinfandel, or Syrah/Shiraz. Blends are usually cheaper; a blend of two or even three of these varieties would be a fine choice.