Ingredients
Mulled wine
- 1.5 litresyoung red wine, dry and fruity, nothing oaky
- 150 gcaster sugar, or 120 g mountain honey
- 2cinnamon sticks
- peel of 1 unwaxed lemon, in wide strips
- peel of 1 orange, in wide strips
- 6cloves
- 1star anise, optional
- 4black peppercorns
To finish
- 60 mlaiguardent or brandy
- 6thin orange slices, for the glasses
- 6short cinnamon sticks, for stirring
Glassware
- 6heatproof glasses or glazed earthenware mugs, warmed with hot water
Directions
- Pare the citrus peel in wide strips with a knife rather than a peeler, taking no white pith, which turns the drink bitter over a long infusion.
- Put the wine, sugar, cinnamon, peels, cloves, star anise and peppercorns in a wide non-reactive pan.
- Warm over low heat, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Bring it slowly up to 75–80°C (165–175°F), the point where the surface trembles and steam rises but no bubble breaks. Hold it there 20 minutes and do not let it boil.
- Taste. It should be warm-spiced and only just sweet; add sugar 1 tbsp at a time, remembering that heat exaggerates sweetness.
- Strain out the spices and peels, or the drink turns bitter and medicinal as it sits on the stove.
- Stir in the aiguardent off the heat, which lifts the aroma and puts back the strength lost to the steam.
- Rinse the glasses with hot water, dry them, and ladle in the wine. Add an orange slice and a cinnamon stick to each and serve at once, after skiing or on a cold night.
Technique
- Do not boil it. Above about 78°C (170°F) the alcohol carries off with the steam and what remains tastes stewed and jammy; a bare tremble is the target.
- Use a cheap, honest young red with good fruit and low tannin. Wine with heavy oak or high tannin turns astringent and drying when it is heated.
- Strain when the spice level is right rather than leaving everything in the pot. Cloves in particular go on extracting and will dominate the whole batch within an hour.
Substitutions
- Honey instead of sugar gives a rounder, waxier sweetness; add it off the heat so its aroma survives.
- For a version without the extra spirit, leave out the aiguardent and add a strip of lemon peel at the end; the drink is lighter but keeps its warmth.
Variations
- Vi bullit, an older Catalan version that is deliberately brought to the boil and set alight for a moment.
- Made with white wine, honey and lemon, a common Pyrenean variant for a cold or a sore throat.
- Served with pa de pessic or dry cinnamon biscuits for dunking.
History
A Pyrenean winter drink poured at Andorran mountain refuges and Christmas markets in the high valleys.
Frequently asked questions
What is Vi calent?
Vi calent is a cocktail from Andorra: red wine mulled with cinnamon, citrus peel and sugar, drunk after skiing. A Pyrenean winter drink poured at Andorran mountain refuges and Christmas markets in the high valleys.
How long does Vi calent take to make?
Vi calent takes 10 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Vi calent?
Yes, within limits. Honey instead of sugar gives a rounder, waxier sweetness; add it off the heat so its aroma survives. For a version without the extra spirit, leave out the aiguardent and add a strip of lemon peel at the end; the drink is lighter but keeps its warmth.
What is the most important thing to get right in Vi calent?
Pare the citrus peel in wide strips with a knife rather than a peeler, taking no white pith, which turns the drink bitter over a long infusion.
