Winter Sangria

Here, Ashley Rose Conway, creator of the blog Craft + Cocktails, shares her recipe for a wintery sangria that will make your kitchen smell wonderful when you’re preparing it, making it a perfect choice if you’re hosting a holiday gathering this weekend.

 

Winter Sangria

 

For the spiced simple syrup:

1 cup (8 oz./250 g) sugar

1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) Williams Sonoma mulling spices

3 oranges

2 bottles (each 24 fl. oz./750 ml) red wine

1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) apple brandy

1 apple, thinly sliced

1 pear, thinly sliced

6 star anise pods

 

To make the spiced simple syrup, in a saucepan over high heat, combine the sugar and mulling spices with 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a jar and discard the solids. You will need 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250) of the spiced simple syrup for this recipe; refrigerate the rest for making more cocktails. The syrup will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

 

To assemble the sangria, peel 2 of the oranges and break each into segments. Put the orange segments into a large bowl. Using a cocktail muddler, muddle the oranges, pressing to release their juice. Pour the wine over the muddled oranges and stir to combine. Strain the mixture into a large carafe or pitcher and discard the orange solids. Add the brandy and 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) of the spiced syrup and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight. Cut the remaining orange into thin slices. Garnish the sangria with the orange, apple and pear slices and the star anise. Pour or ladle into glasses and serve. Serves 10.

 

Recipe by Ashley Rose Conway, creator of Craft + Cocktails