Cooking with Bruce: mulled wine and muffins

I realise that most of you are desperately hanging out for my 'best-of 2009' blog, patience dear readers, it's on the way. I can reveal that Susan Boyle did not make the #1 position, but that's all I'm exposing now. 


Todays cooking with Bruce brings you a very tasty mulled wine recipe, culled from various websites, a cheeky norwegian, extensive tasting, and what I had in the kitchen. I also provide a use for the leftovers from mulling (is that a word? who knows, it is now) in the form of muffins - just for Bek. Not that she reads this. Oh well. 

1 bottle of red

3T madiera or port (this was 3s (ish) of tipping port into the pot)

1/2c brown sugar

1/3c raisins

2 sticks cinnamon

6 whole cloves

1 grapefruit peel

1/4c slivered almonds

1 bay leaf

grated nutmeg

1/4c vodka (or brandy, since I was low on vodka)

mix all but vodka, simmer 2-3 hours, just before serving add vodka. drink extensively. 

The problem with this recipe is that it leaves you with leftovers, raisins, almonds etc. Oh woe, whatever is to be done? Muffins. Muffins are to be done. I have no idea on the actual amounts of ingredients used.

50gm butter

1/2c brown sugar

cream those two and mix an egg in.

1.5c flour (possibly a mix of wholemeal and standard, but I had no wholemeal), some baking powder, raisins, almonds from the mulled wine, few spices. Add milk and mix to a dropping consistency, bake 15mins at 180C. Makes 4-6 depending on your manliness.

B