Mulled wine is a winter favourite and a great drink for festive celebrations. Even beyond the festivities, a warm cuppa is a great accompaniment to a family dinner or just a chilled night in. This is a classic recipe with a vibrant addition of the Hibiscus flower. This hibiscus mulled wine ignites a much stronger flavour but is not overwhelming. Which makes it an authentic and traditional method of brewing with a contemporary twist.
Aside from the obvious features of the Hibiscus flower. Which is its vivacious colour and taste, the plant holds a lot of health benefits. It’s been said that the flower aids in treating high blood pressure, high cholesterol, inflammatory and digestive problems. Hibiscus also holds nutritional values. It is rich in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. It apparently also speeds up metabolism to aid weight loss and assist in reducing anxiety. It’s a perfect addition to the loved, warm and hearty mulled wine
The Hibiscus flower has been used in several cultures in Africa, the Caribbean and Asian countries. Typically used in drinks and desserts it also holds symbolic values to countries, such as Haiti and Malaysia. The name varies across different parts of the world. Such as zobo in Nigeria, sorrel in Jamaica and gumamela in the Philippines. I guess we can say this hibiscus mulled wine is a fusion of many cultures.
You might also like these two other recipes with Hibiscus:
Hibiscus Mulled Wine
Ingredients
- 1 750ml Bottle dry red wine
- 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 10 Whole cloves
- 5 Star anise
- 1 Large orange
- ¼ cup Honey
- ¼ cup Hibiscus flower
- 500 ml Water
Instructions
- Bring over medium heat a pot of water, add the Hibiscus flower and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the bottle of red wine and add all the spices, sliced oranges, and honey.
- Simmer but do not boil for 15 minutes (even longer is better. you can slow cook for 2 to 3 hours).
- Remove pan from heat, strain out the spices, hibiscus, oranges and any extra bits.
- Serve hot. You can garnish with slices of oranges or whole spices.
