that bring out the best in everything, from fall fruit pastries
like apple pie to creamy, custardy desserts like cheesecake. First,
consider adding mulling spices to poaching liquids. If you’re
poaching pears, fi gs, or apples, add some of the blend to the mix. If
reducing wine or port into a reduction glaze, like for our Mulled
Wine Brownies (page 112), add mulling spices while cooking it
down so they punctuate the fruity fl avor of the reduction.
A mulling spices-infused simple syrup is also an easy and
rewarding baking staple to have on hand. Melt 1 cup
(200 grams) granulated sugar in 1 cup (240 grams) water, and
steep 1 tablespoon (6 grams) mulling spices in the liquid for
30 minutes. Refrigerate, and add it to buttercreams or
cocktails, or brush it directly onto baked cake layers to create
a more tender and fl avorful cake. A sachet of the blend can add
pronounced holiday warmth to custards like crème anglaise or
to a homemade jam or jelly like tart cranberry jam.
With ground mulling spices, the sky’s the limit. Incorporate a
pinch of it into your fi llings, frostings, and glazes to bring the
spice right to the forefront of a dessert. Pop the blend into your
everyday shortbread to give it a touch of warm whimsy, or use it to
introduce complex heat to a standard peanut butter cookie. Toss
the spice blend with your sliced apples and pears in your favorite
pie recipe. Sprinkle it in with a fi nal dusting of confectioners’
sugar, giving your simple cakes a soft sense of spice. Finally, just
stir it into a cake batter to create a sophisticated spice cake, or
add it directly to streusel for a new spin on the usual cinnamon-
based swirl.Why the romantic association of mulled wine and Christmas?
Look no further than Charles Dickens. The great British author
was such a fan of Smoking Bishop, a mulled wine-and-port
cocktail, that it made its way into his holiday classic, A Christmas
Carol. A newly reformed Ebenezer Scrooge offers Smoking Bishop
to his employee, Bob Cratchit. The mulled drink is a rich gift for
the impoverished Cratchit and is one more tangible example of
Scrooge’s transformation from miser to merry-maker. In other
words, mulled wine and its signature spice blend have become
an enduring symbol of yuletide generosity. Anything that tastes
of it has a taste of that giving spirit.BAKE WITH MULLING SPICES
In this issue, don’t miss:Viennese Sandwich Cookies, page 96
Mulled Apple Coff ee Cake, page 105
Mulled Wine Brownies, page 112GIFT IT!
A jar or packet of homemade a mulling spice blend is an excellent gift for friends and
family during the holiday season. Place your larger spices (like cinnamon sticks, star
anise, or cardamom) in a large resealable plastic bag and coarsely crush with a rolling
pin. Then add a blend of whole cloves, allspice, dried citrus rind, and peppercorns to the
mix. Seal in a half-pint Mason jar or glass container of similar size. With or without a
ribbon, it’ll be the sweetest-smelling present by a long shot.