Mulled wine sorbet

Ingredients

• 1 large orange
• 1 large lemon
• 300ml (½pt) red wine
• 150g (5oz) granulated sugar
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 6 juniper berries, crushed
• 2 cloves

Method

Dangerously more-ish; you could find yourself sneaking the odd spoonful out of the freezer. You don’t need expensive wine to make this but don’t use really cheap vinegary stuff either. A Chilean Merlot is a good option.

Remove 2 broad strips of rind from the orange and 1 strip from the lemon using a peeler. Squeeze both the citrus fruits. 

Put the rind and juice into a saucepan with all the other ingredients and 150ml (¼ pt) water. Bring to the boil, stirring a little to help the sugar dissolve, then turn the heat down and simmer for one minute. 

Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely. 

Strain the mixture into a jug then either churn in an ice-cream machine or pour into a shallow container and freeze in the freezer, removing the mixture and beating it about 4 times during the freezing process. (This is to break down the crystals and ensure a smooth sorbet). 

You can either whizz it in the food processor or do it by hand with a fork.

Keep the sorbet, covered with a lid, greaseproof paper or clingfilm, in the freezer. I find it needs to be left overnight and on the coldest setting to get firm. 

Sorbets are never ‘at their best’: they just taste ‘freshest’ within 4 days of being made, so use it within that time frame.

See our suggestions for more Christmas desserts.