Mulled Wine Recipe from my Mother in Sweden

I’m finally going to let you in on our special mulled wine recipe, or Glögg as it’s known in Sweden. My mother’s made this recipe for many years and we’ve of course continued the tradition. I’ll let you in on another secret; it’s actually not a Swedish recipe, but a South African one, which my parents were given during their time living there in the 70s. Unlike the English mulled wine and German gluhwein, this recipe has only a small amount of orange and two magic added ingredients: Angostura bitters and sweet Vermouth. It also has the classic flavours of cinnamon and cloves.

Mulled Wine Recipe

• 4 litres red wine
• 1 pint sweet vermouth
• 2 tablespoons Angostura bitters
• a handful of raisins
• the peel of 1 orange (use a potato peeler)
• 10 whole cloves
• 1 small piece of ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 12 ounces (340g) cane sugar
• 1/2kg castor sugar

Mix everything and warm gently to dissolve the sugar. Leave overnight, then strain (though you can make it same day if you need to). Then you can just heat enough for each serving (but don’t let it boil).  Pour into espresso mugs, dropping in a few flaked or whole almonds and raisins. And you may well want some pepparkakor to serve, these are like ginger biscuits but with a warmer clove flavour. Here’s a recipe if you want to give it a whirl. You can keep the mulled wine bottled for up to a year.

As well as trying this mulled wine recipe, why not get some Swedish style Christmas decoration ideas too!

If you’re looking for natural Christmas gift ideas, head over to this homeware focused post with Christmas wish list suggestions by personality: cook, wellbeing, outdoors, traveller, planner, stylist and cosy.

Solstice double oven glove inspired by Scandinavian 1970s shapes and Eastern European patterns. 84x20cm. 100% cotton with towelling back, heat resistant. Available in two colour ways. This is the “Bright” design.