Toasty Winter Warmers

It’s officially scarf season, so wrap up warm and taste our toasty winter warmers. From Hot Buttered Rum to Warming Ginger Toddy… not forgetting the classic Mulled Wine! We’ve got plenty of winter drink recipes for you to enjoy while you watch the fireworks, snuggle up on the sofa, or have your Christmas catch ups.

Warming Ginger Toddy

Treat your guests to a warming toddy this Bonfire Night - sweet and spicy for those cold weather get-togethers.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 5cm fresh root ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped
• 6 cloves
• 6 cinnamon sticks
• 100ml whisky
• 300ml ginger wine
• 500ml fresh orange juice
• 500ml ginger ale
• 1 orange, thinly sliced

Method

1. Place the ginger in a square of muslin with the cloves and one cinnamon stick, tie with string (you want to make a teabag of them) and place in the base of a large jug or heatproof glass bowl.
2. Put the whisky, ginger wine and orange juice in a pan and heat to almost boiling. Pour over the ginger teabag and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Remove the teabag and add the ginger ale.
3. Divide the orange between 6 tumblers and top with the hot ginger toddy. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

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Mulled Wine

It's not winter until you've had your first mulled wine. The perfect cosy conconction for those colder nights. Give our rich and delicious mulled wine recipe a try...

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 2 oranges
• 2 bottles of red wine
• 1 bottle of white wine
• 1 fresh root ginger, 6cm piece peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 5 tbsp demerara sugar
• 4 tbsp brandy, (optional)

Method

1. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from the oranges in strips, being careful to remove only the orange part, leaving the pith behind.
2. Then, juice the oranges into a large pot.
3. Pour the red wine and white wine into the pot with the orange juice.
4. Place the strips of orange zest, ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves and sugar into the pot with the wine mixture; stir to dissolve the sugar.
5. Cover and heat over medium-high until heated through, but not boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and heat for an hour or longer to bring all of the flavours together.
6. Adjust the sweetness by adding more sugar, if necessary. Strain and serve hot with a splash of brandy, if desired.

Hot Buttered Rum

Here's a warming 'toddy' that's ideal for serving after an autumn outing or winter walk. Sweet, with a satisfying rum kick, the buttery finish makes this a real cosy-up-cocktail. 

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 50ml Captain Morgan’s spiced rum
• 440ml apple cider
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 100g brown sugar
• 100g salted butter
• 100g vanilla ice cream

Method

1. Make the buttered rum batter: In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the ice cream and cinnamon, then spoon into a large container.
3. Store in freezer until mostly hardened, about 2 hours (or until you are ready to serve drinks).
4. Make the drinks: In a large saucepan, heat the cider until boiling, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove from heat and pour into a pitcher or easy to serve container.
6. Place 2 tbsp of the buttered rum batter into each mug and fill about 1/3 of the way up with rum, then top with hot apple cider.
7. Stir and serve.

 

Warm and Fuzzy Mulled Apple Juice

Invite friends and family over for sugar and spice and all things nice this Christmas. Try this quick and easy winter warmer recipe.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 litre of apple juice
• 1 cinnamon stick, to garnish
• 50g sugar
• 1 whole apple, sliced
• 1 pack of mulled spices
• 8 bulbs star anise, to garnish

Method

1. Heat the apple juice and mulled spices in a pan for around 15 mins until the flavours have infused. Add sugar to sweeten to your desired taste.
2. Cut the apple into thin slices and bake in the oven until crisp.
3. Pour the mulled apple juice into each glass and serve with a cinnamon stick, star anise and an apple slice.

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Non-Alcoholic Mulled Cranberry

Another fruity mulled drink recipe to add to your winter warmer collection. Try our comforting and delicious non-alcoholic mulled cranberry.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 litre cranberry juice
• 1 orange, peeled and diced
• 1 pack of mulled wine spices
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Method

1. Pour the cranberry juice into a pan with the spices, 1 cinnamon stick and the orange.
2. Warm gently for 10 minutes, without boiling.
3. Serve immediately with the remaining cinnamon stick.