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What Are The Best Spices For Mulling?
Mulling spices can be whatever you want them to be. There is no actual recipe, just a group of ingredients to select from that will give you the flavor profiles you want from your mulled drink. Are you looking to make it more dry and spicy, or are you looking for more herbal flavors? Your traditional mulling spices are:
- All Spice Berries
- Cloves
- Cinnamon Stick
- Orange Peels
- Star Anise
- Coriander Seeds
- Ginger
- Cardamom
- Black Peppercorns
What Are The Right Amount Of Mulling Spices?
Think Christmas or Indian spices, or something like chai tea. Don’t put all of those in, though. You want to pick 4 or 5 tops; otherwise, the spices overwhelm the drink. Almost all mulling spices I’ve ever seen have cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange peels. Not that you have to stick to that, but those three are almost always used. Pick one more item to add or two if you’re feeling crazy. Word of caution, do not add too much spice. It’s straightforward to toss in a bit too much. How much is reasonable? Very little. Alcohol effectively extracts oils and emulsifies fats (hence why wine is commonly used to deglaze a pan). As a result, what will feel like too few spices is the right amount since more of the oils locked inside are being extracted.
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