Appleberry mulled wine

Ingredients

• 2 x 75cl bottles red wine (such as Merlot; better quality wine makes all the difference)
• 1l good-quality cloudy apple juice
• 115g caster sugar
• 1 long cinnamon stick, snapped in half
• 2 star anise
• 3 tbsp orange Curaçao or Cointreau
• a handful or so (about 100g/4oz) frozen mulled fruit or fruits of the forest or Black Forest fruits
• 3 small red-skinned apples, sliced into rings
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  Cooking time:Ready in 25-30 minutes

  Skill level:Easy

  Servings:Enough for 12 glasses

  Method

  1. Pour the wine and apple juice into a large saucepan and add the sugar, cinnamon stick and star anise. Heat gently, stirring once or twice, until the sugar has dissolved, then continue heating gently for another 15 minutes.
  2. Just before serving, swirl in the Curaçao or Cointreau, throw in the frozen fruits and add the apple slices.