Winter warmers

Mulled Wine

• 2 bottles of cheap red wine
• 1 cup brandy
• 1 packed cup brown sugar
• 2 unpeeled oranges, quartered
• 2 unpeeled lemons, quartered
• 5 slices fresh ginger, about 1/2-inch slices
• 3 sticks cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons whole cloves
• 3 tablespoons Cointreau (optional)
• Handful or so of thawed frozen berries (optional)
• 3 small red-skinned apples, sliced into rings (optional)

Directions

1. Throw all ingredients (except the optional ones) into a great big pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and simmer for about 1 hour, but don't allow the wine to boil unless you want to stay completely sober. After 1 hour has passed, taste the wine. If you want it sweeter, add more sugar or honey, 1 teaspoon at a time. After each teaspoonful, stir to dissolve, and taste before adding more.
2. Strain.
3. Just before serving, swirl in the Cointreau, throw in the frozen fruits, and add the apple slices.
4. Ladle into heatproof mugs and garnish each mug with a cinnamon stick.

Shamelessly stolen from Christine on facebook

Colonial Hot Buttered Rum

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 quarts hot water
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 cups rum
• 1 cup sweetened whipped cream
• ground nutmeg to taste

Directions

1. Combine the brown sugar, butter, salt and hot water in 5 quart slow cooker. Add cinnamon sticks and cloves. Cover and cook on Low for 5 hours. Stir in rum.
2. Ladle from the slow cooker into mugs, and top with whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg.

From allrecipes.com

Classic Hot Toddy

(Charlie MacLean's recipe)

• 1in malt whisky
• 2in piping hot water, poured over a silver spoon
• 1 generous tsp of heather honey
• 1 slice of lemon

Herbal Hot Toddy

(Michael McIntyre's recipe)

• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 cloves
• A squeeze of lemon or lime
• 1tsp honey
• Grated or sliced ginger to taste
• Whisky or brandy to taste

From the telegraph.co.uk