The countdown to me saying “Mum pass me your phone, I’ll show you how to do it” 54 times is on. Ah Christmas traditions.

One of the better traditions is this week’s recipe for vin brûlé (Italian mulled wine).

A classic of Italian Christmas markets, vin brûlé is as you’d expect it to be: warming, aromatic and more popular than a Fred Again gig on a Friday night with half of Clapham in attendance.

This week’s album: 
Late Nights & Heartbreak by Hannah Williams & The Affirmations

The Italian vin brûlé is French for burnt wine, yet the French call mulled wine vin chaud. Confused? Don’t be. Be confused dot com.

The reason for the Italians using a French name is probably because vin brûlé originates from an area in north-west Italy called Piemonte, which spent a significant time being occupied by the French in the 17th and 18th centuries. “Wow Fraser, I didn’t know you were a historian as well as a chef, keen geographer and all-round entertainer?” I’m not, but Google is.

Mulled wine has the potential to be delicious but so often isn’t, mainly because it’s watered down and overly sweet. This recipe avoids that, giving you warming spiced wine that is still wonderfully boozy. You can even add a splash of amaretto for an extra kick.

Vin brûlé is considered to be an ancient remedy against seasonal ailments, presumably by mulled wine's PR agency. You can always make it ahead of time, just let it chill to room temp and then keep in the fridge for up to five days.

The below serves 6. It takes 5 mins to prep and 15 mins to cook.

750ml red wine (full-bodied & fruity)
1 orange
1 lemon
120g honey
3 tbsps brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
¼ nutmeg (finely grated)
6 whole cloves
6 allspice berries
6 juniper berries
6 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf

1. Use a sharp peeler to peel strips of zest from the orange and lemon (you want as little pith as possible). Add the strips to a saucepan. Now squeeze the juice from the orange into the same pan and add your honey, sugar and all the spices.


2. Heat over a medium heat until the orange juice and honey have combined and formed a syrup. Add the wine, bring to a simmer, then lower the heat slightly. Cook for 10 mins then turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid (or carefully wrap with cling film).


3. Let the wine sit for 20 mins before straining through a fine sieve into another saucepan.


4. Finally, reheat and serve. Now’s your moment to add a slug of amaretto if you’re into slugs.

I’ve used dehydrated orange slices as a garnish BUT… If you want to make a real effort, slice an orange into 1/2 cm thick pieces, place pieces on an oven tray lined with baking parchment, then pop in an oven at 90°c for 3-4 hours.

Same time next week.

Fraser