DIY: Mulled Wine Cordial Christmas Gift Idea

Are you looking for stocking fillers for the grown ups in your family?  I was getting pretty stuck for ideas before a lovely friend suggested making them all mulled wine.  However, we all know lots of wine doesn't fit in stockings - but Mulled Wine Cordial does!!

It makes a lovely gloopy syrup, much like jam?, which you can bottle up and hand out as a christmas goodie :)

This is incredibly easy and fast, but looks amazing!

To make 6 jars this size (which each flavour two bottles of wine), you will need:

• 2 oranges
• 1 lemon
• 1 lime
• 500g sugar
• 14 whole cloves
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 6 bay leaves
• 3 tsp ground nutmeg
• 4 drops vanilla essence
• one small glass of red wine (~125mls), of any quality

Preparation:  Zest and juice the lemon and lime.  Slice the oranges into rings.  

1. Except the sugar, add all of the ingredients to a pot.

2. Heat the contents on a low heat for 5 minutes, just to allow all the spices and fruit to mix.  

3. Add the sugar to the mixture, and turn up the heat slightly, making sure the sugar is mixed in.  If you find you don't have enough liquid you can add more wine.  Bring the mixture to the boil for 30s.

4.  Done!  

Decant your mixture into jars and pop the lids on.  Divide the pieces of cinnamon, bay leaves and fruit between the jars.  

TIP:  if you boil the jars and lids clean before filling with warm syrup, apparently this keeps it better for longer, and may also add it's own vacuum seal as it cools.

To make your jars pretty, add little squares of scrap fabric and tie it together with string.  Like mine, you can add a little tag with instructions for the recipient!  

Have you any quick gifts you make every year?  What are you filling your families stockings with?

Merry Christmas!

xx

p.s.  don't forget that this is the last week to enter the christmas pattern and owl badge giveaway!!