Mulled wine & salted almonds

Wednesday, 14th December 2011

Here are a couple of things to give visitors around Christmas. The almonds are really difficult to stop eating and the delicious mulled wine is not too strong on alcohol, always a good thing at this time of year.

Mulled Wine

- 60g (2 oz.) Dark Brown Sugar

- 150ml (5 oz.) Water

- 3 Cloves (no more)

- 1 stick Cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp Freshly grated Nutmeg

- Juice and grated zest of 1 Orange

- 1 bottle Red Wine

Method

Put the sugar, water, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Let these simmer together gently for 6 to 7 minutes. Strain the syrup from the spices (keep these for the next batch). Add the spiced syrup to the wine and put on a gentle heat to warm up. If it comes to the boil all the alcohol will be gone. If you have some vacuum flasks put the wine in while hot, this is easier than trying to reheat carefully in the middle of a party.

salted almonds

- 1/2 pound Whole Almonds

- 1 tsp. Sunflower Oil

- 3 tbs. Salt

Method

If the almonds are still in their skins just plunge into boiling water and when it reboils drain them off and pinch off the skins.

Set the oven to gas 2 150C 300F. Oil a baking tray very lightly with the sunflower oil and spread out the almonds in one layer. Cook in the low oven for one hour (the almonds should just have a light even suntan).

Sprinkle the salt over a large sheet of tinfoil and tip the almonds into this while still hot. Swish them around in the salt until evenly coated and then hide away from nibblers. (They are very addictive)