Much to our delight, mulled wine is a festive season staple. Arguably the drink of Christmas, it’s cosy, warming and tasty — what’s not to love? Though reaching for a bottle of M&S’ ready-made offering is tempting (we’ve been guilty of this ourselves one too many times!), making your own mulled wine is super easy and a fun way to get into the Christmas spirit. Ahead, these five mulled wine recipes will see you through the holidays (and beyond). Cheers!

Read More: Where To Go For Christmas Dinner In Hong Kong

Traditional Mulled Wine

If you’re a mulled wine purist at heart, this recipe’s for you. Using classic spices and fragrant fruits, the result will warm any Scrooge’s heart.

Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver.

Ingredients (Serves 4)
• 2 bottles Italian red wine
• 2 clementines
• 1 lemon
• 1 lime
• 200g caster sugar
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 whole nutmeg, for grating
• 1 vanilla pod
• 2 whole star anise

Sassy Tip: There’s no need to opt for an expensive red wine here — the focus of the flavour will be the spices!

Method
1. Peel large sections of peel from the clementines, lemon and lime.
2. Put the sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the pieces of peel and squeeze in the clementine juice.
3. Add the cloves and cinnamon stick, along with about 10 to 12 gratings of nutmeg. Halve the vanilla pod lengthways and add to the pan, then stir in just enough red wine to cover the sugar.
4. Let this simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved into the red wine, then bring to a boil. Keep on a rolling boil for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until you’ve got a thick syrup. This creates a good flavour base and really lets the sugar and spices infuse the wine. You need to make the syrup base first because it needs to be quite hot, and if you use both bottles of wine too early, it will burn off the alcohol.
5. When your syrup is ready, turn the heat down to low and add the star anise, along with the rest of the wine. Gently heat the wine for around 5 minutes, and then ladle your mulled wine into heatproof glasses to serve.

Read More: Your Guide To Christmas Catering In Hong Kong

White Mulled Wine

Traditionalists look away now. Not only does this mulled wine recipe call for white wine instead of the usual red, but it also incorporates a light cider into the mix. A light and fresh take on the seasonal classic (perfect for the breezy cool of Hong Kong), we love the addition of elderflower here.

Recipe adapted from BBC Good Food.

Ingredients (makes about 10 glasses)
• 2 bottles white wine (medium-dry is good)
• 500ml bottle light cider
• 150ml elderflower cordial
• Zest of 2 lemons (pared into strips using a vegetable peeler)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• 4 to 5 tablespoons caster sugar

Method
1. Put all the ingredients into a pan and heat until steaming, but not boiling.
2. Ladle your mulled wine into mugs or glasses to serve, keeping the rest warm on low heat.

Read More: Your Guide To Beer, Spirits And Wine Delivery In Hong Kong

Mulled Rosé

If you’re a fan of frosé in the summer then you’re going to love this winter twist on the pink wine. The grapefruit also adds a fresh spin to this mulled wine recipe, perfect for an al fresco holiday gathering with friends.

Recipe adapted from CBC.

Ingredients (makes about 20 glasses)
• 2 bottles rosé
• 4 cups white cranberry juice
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 1 vanila bean, halved
• 2 pink grapefruits, sliced
• 1 cup fresh cranberries (optional)

Method
1. Put all the ingredients into a pan and gently simmer for at least 15 minutes.
2. Serve warm in a glass and enjoy!

Mulled Wine Spritzer

This fizzy mulled wine is perfect for warmer winter days (it is Hong Kong after all!) and a great alternative for a daytime party or evening soiree. You might even get away with serving this one in the summertime!

Recipe adapted from Veggie Desserts.

Ingredients (makes about 6 glasses)
• 1 bottle red wine
• 150ml water
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 1 orange, squeezed
• 7Up
• Ice
• Frozen Raspberries

Method
1. Add wine, water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and orange to a large saucepan and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
2. Strain mixture over a bowl and allow to cool.
3. Add ice and frozen raspberries to a tall glass.
4. Fill halfway with cooled mulled wine and top up with fizzy lemonade.

Non-Alcoholic Mulled Wine

Determined to make it through the festive season tee-total? That’s no reason to miss out on mulled wine! This recipe calls for grape juice in lieu of vino, so you can have as many glasses as you want without a horrific hangover the next day.

Recipe adapted from Little Sugar Snaps.

Ingredients (Serves 6)
• 1 litre grape juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 whole star anise
• 6 whole cloves
• 15g fresh ginger (1cm thick slices)
• 1 orange (sliced into rounds)
• 2 slices of lemon
• 1 handful of fresh cranberries
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Method
1. Put all ingredients into a medium saucepan and heat until boiling.
2. Turn off the heat and let infuse for 30 minutes.
3. Strain to remove the fruits and spices.
4. Gently reheat to serve, adding more fresh oranges and cranberries if desired.

Sassy Tip: For a deeper flavour of mulled “wine”, try swapping out the grape juice for a full bottle of non-alcoholic red wine. Here in Hong Kong, you can check out The Bottle Shop or Wine Rack for some options.

Read More: Your Guide To Christmas Markets & Fairs In Hong Kong

Editor’s Note: “5 Mulled Wine Recipes To Try This Christmas” was most recently updated in November 2022.

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If you aren’t one of Filipina-American food blogger Jen Balisi’s (aka Indulgent Eats) 363k followers on Instagram, you’ve been missing out on some seriously drool-worthy content. As long-time fans of Jen’s simple and satisfying recipes, we’re thrilled that she has just launched her first cookbook, “Indulgent Eats at Home“, which compiles 60 of her viral at-home recipes (complete with fun hashtags for each dish!).

Ahead, Jen shares her flavour-packed Umami Bomb Udon recipe straight from the #SendNoods chapter of her cookbook. This particular recipe stars ingredients rich in umami (Jen’s favourite flavour profile), namely Parmigiano, mushrooms and miso. Rest assured, it’s Hong Kong-kitchen friendly and suitable for beginners!

Read more: Cook Like A Pro – Village-Style Egg Curry Bites From Club Rangoon

“My Umami Bomb Udon was inspired by my love for carbonara and the butter pepper udon from Tokyo’s Shin Udon, which introduced me to the glory of creamy egg yolk as a sauce for thick, chewy udon.”

“This recipe is great for when you’re hungover or just need a quick bite so it’s perfect to add to your repertoire regardless of your cooking level.”

Umami Bomb Udon

Ingredients (serves 1)

1 block frozen or fresh udon
1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
1/2 cup (43g) frozen or fresh mushrooms (cremini, wild mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms suggested)
1 large egg
1/4 cup (25g) fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 tbsp (27g) miso paste (red miso preferred)
1/2 tsp chilli bean sauce, optional (reduce miso paste by 1/2 tsp if using)
1 1/2 tbsp (12g) chopped scallions
1 egg yolk
Fresh ground pepper
Crushed red pepper, optional

Method

• Bring a pot of water to boil and cook udon according to the package instructions, making sure to save a couple tablespoons (30 to 60ml) of the noodle water.
• Transfer the cooked udon into a bowl with tongs or chopsticks.
• Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan and cook the mushrooms over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until mushrooms have browned. Keep any excess liquid that accumulates in the pan – this will add extra umami flavour to the sauce!
• While the mushrooms are cooking, prepare the miso-Parmigiano sauce. In a small bowl, beat the large egg then add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, miso paste, chilli bean sauce (if using), and combine with 1 tablespoon (15ml) of the hot noodle water in a bowl.
• Add the udon to the cooked mushrooms, tossing to coat the noodles in the residual mushroom oil and juices.
• Turn off the heat, pour in the egg mixture and quickly use tongs or chopsticks to evenly coat the noodles while shaking the pan around. This agitation process will allow the egg mixture to cook into a velvety sauce instead of scrambled eggs.
• Transfer the noodles and sauce into a serving bowl and garnish by forming a ring of chopped scallions in the centre, leaving a space in the middle for the egg yolk.
• Top everything with a generous amount of fresh ground pepper, Parmesan and crushed red pepper.

Sassy Tip: Take a quick pic of your beautiful creation before breaking the yolk onto your noodles and stirring everything together to enjoy. Jen would love to see how your dish turned out so be sure to tag or DM @IndulgentEats on Instagram!

The post Cook Like A Pro: Jen Balisi of Indulgent Eats Shares Her Umami Bomb Udon Recipe appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Is there anything better than an indulgent slice of freshly-baked chocolate cake? We’ll answer that for you – no! There’s not much that chocolate can’t cure in our books, making this quick and easy “Hurry Chocolate Cake” from Eatology’s Chef Vincent Leroux an essential addition to our recipe box. The best part? There’s no oven required, and the whole thing comes together in just 20 minutes!

Ahead, Eatology’s Chef Vincent Leroux shares his nostalgic recipe for “Hurry Chocolate Cake”. Rest assured, it’s Hong Kong-kitchen friendly and suitable for beginners!

Read more: Quick And Easy Microwavable Mug Cake Recipes To Try

“The inspiration for this chocolate cake recipe is the cake I would eat after school when my mum was busy. She would prepare this chocolate cake in 20 minutes – this is why I chose the name “Hurry Chocolate Cake”, it reminds me of this moment.”

What’s great about this recipe is that it’s super easy to prepare and great for small Hong Kong kitchens – you don’t need a lot to make this. A microwaveable recipe gives you the easiest and most convenient way to whip up a quick tasty treat – I know this one will help satisfy your chocolate dessert cravings!

Hurry Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

For the cake
200g dark chocolate
125g butter
125g sugar (for a healthier alternative, you can use 125g monk fruit sweetener)
3 medium eggs
60g flour
20g hazelnut powder
1 tsp instant yeast
2 tbsp water

For the glaze
100g dark chocolate
25g butter
2 tbsp heavy cream

Method

Cake

• Melt the chocolate with some water in a hot steam bath (i.e. using the bain-marie method or with a double boiler).
• Add butter in with the chocolate and whisk together until it has a smooth texture.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs and sugar. Whisk until mixture becomes pale in colour.
• Drizzle in the flour, hazelnut powder and yeast.
• Add the chocolate mixture and mix it in with a spatula.
• Grease a rectangular microwave-safe mould and transfer the chocolate mix into it. Cover the mold with cling wrap film.
• Cook for 6 mins on max power in your microwave (1,000 watts).
• Remove from microwave and let it rest for 5 -10 mins. Remove the cake from the mould.

Glaze

• Melt the chocolate with 1 tbsp of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the butter and heavy cream.
• Cook mixture for 40 seconds on max power in microwave (1,000 watts).
• Mix with spatula until it has a shiny and syrupy consistency.
• Cover the top of the cake with the glaze.
• Let it cool down in the refrigerator before serving.

The post Cook Like A Pro: Eatology’s Chef Vincent Leroux Shares His Quick Microwaveable Chocolate Cake Recipe appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Sun’s out, picnic baskets out!

Tired of dragging along the same old recipes to every junk trip? A little over falafel and carrot sticks? By combining trusty wet market veggies and classic summer dishes, here is everything you need to up your potluck game.

We’ve hot-weather-proofed all the essentials with a new take on pesto pasta, a creamy spiced carrot dip, sprouted low-carb croquettes, and upgraded the barbecue staple, chicken salad. These light, refreshing dishes are chock-full of nutrients, plus they’re small-kitchen and budget-friendly, saving you from rushing to all ends of the city searching for ingredients!

So grab your sunscreen, cooler box and as many friends as social-distancing guidelines allow for your feast in the sun…

Read more: 3 Quick & Easy Recipes Using Wet Market Greens

The post 4 Easy Potluck Recipes For Your Summer BBQ’s, Junks, Picnics & Beyond appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

So you know your bok choi from your choi sum, but what else does a Hong Kong wet market have to offer? With the incredible produce sold at fruit ‘n’ veg stalls across the city, the opportunities to experiment with fresh, local ingredients are endless.

These simple recipes show just how versatile Hong Kong’s veggies can be. Whether you fancy putting a new twist on a traditional stir-fry, or incorporating Asian greens into a familiar, beloved Italian dish, there are so many ways to bring locally grown ingredients into your kitchen.

With that said, it’s time to step away from the carrots, put down the broccoli, and instead support local farms by reaching for something new. You’ll be sniffing out who has the best deal on ong choi, and who’s rambutans aren’t up to scratch, in no time!

Sassy Tip: Click through to the end to see our top tips for wet market shopping.

Read more: Cook Like A Pro – Brioche French Toast From Bakehouse

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They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and now it’s about to be the most delicious too thanks to this indulgent Brioche French Toast recipe from Bakehouse’s Grégoire Michaud. Think thick-sliced buttery brioche enveloped in an eggy, creamy custard garnished with cinnamon, berries, maple syrup and jam. Not only does it look impressive (Sunday brunch ‘gram, check!), it’s also one of the easiest brunch dishes to put together. Low effort, high reward? Sign us up!

Ahead, Bakehouse’s Grégoire Michaud shares his recipe for Brioche French Toast. Rest assured, it’s Hong Kong-kitchen friendly and suitable for beginners!

Read more: Cook Like A Pro – MONO’s Venezuelan Tamals

I grew up eating French toast for breakfast on a regular basis because it was never an option to discard old bread. We had it for breakfast, but also in its plain version as a side dish with our garden vegetable soup. Growing up in the countryside inspired a lot of my dishes and creations.

Back home we treat French toast as sweet or savoury – you can serve it without the sugar and add fried egg, bacon and maple syrup instead.

Brioche French Toast

Sassy Tip: No oven? No worries. Head down to Bakehouse to pick yourself up a fresh loaf of brioche.

Ingredients

For the brioche

25g sugar
250g butter
350g egg yolks (from approximately 19 eggs)
25g salt
145ml (or 150g) fresh milk
980g bread flour
25g instant dry yeast

For the French toast

30ml whole milk
150ml full fat cream
2 large eggs
A pinch of salt
Cinnamon and/or sugar (for serving)
Your choice of toppings (berries, maple syrup, jam etc.)

Method

To make the brioche

• Knead all ingredients together to form a smooth dough. The dough should be nicely extensible.
• Let the dough rest for 1 hour in a covered container.
• Shape dough into a long log and place in a rectangular mould.
• Allow the dough to proof for about 45 minutes.
• Apply egg wash to the top of the dough and score the top with a knife.
• Bake for about 30 minutes at 185°C.

To make the French toast

• Combine all ingredients into a well-mixed batter.
• Cut brioche into slices (about an inch thick).
• Prepare frying pan with a bit of butter and/or olive oil.
• Dip a slice of brioche into the batter for about 10 seconds, holding it submerged.
• Drain the excess liquid and fry the toast on low to medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Repeat for remaining brioche slices.
• To serve, dust with cinnamon and/or sugar, and garnish with your choice of toppings.

Read more: The Best Bakeries In Hong Kong

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Take your tastebuds on a trip to South America with our latest Cook Like A Pro instalment, courtesy of MONO‘s Ricardo Chaneton. His recipe for Venezuelan Tamals is an old family favourite, consisting of moreish spices and juicy tender chicken all wrapped in an oversized banana leaf and steamed to perfection. Though typically reserved for celebratory occasions like Christmas (tamals are traditionally given as Christmas Eve gifts), we’ll take any excuse to indulge in these little parcels of foodie comfort, especially when they’re this easy to make.

Ahead, chef Ricardo Chaneton reveals his family recipe for Venezuelan Tamals. Rest assured, it’s Hong Kong-kitchen friendly (i.e. there’s no oven required) and suitable for beginners!

Read more: Cook Like A Pro – Village-Style Egg Curry Bites From Club Rangoon

Venezuelan Tamals share a number of similarities with the Chinese Zong Zi, Vietnamese Banh Bao and even some of the Peranakan kuehs – they all feature a carbohydrate stuffed with a sweet or savoury filling, wrapped with leaves (whether it’s banana, bamboo, corn or even pandan), which are then steamed or boiled. It goes to show that despite the vast distance between the two continents, there are actually many parallels between Asian and South American cooking.

We wanted to pay homage to Venezuelan tamals, a celebratory dish traditionally eaten during the Christmas season. Often described as Venezuela’s national dish, the making of these tamals is usually a family affair, every family has their own style. Best enjoyed in the company of loved ones as part of a communal feast, this comforting dish also lends well to being packed for lunch.

Venezuelan Tamals

Ingredients

For the Tamals (makes 6)

180g corn flour
20g annatto seeds
6 banana leaves (cut into large squares and quickly passed over an open flame a couple of times)
1/2 onion (thinly sliced)
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1 green bell pepper (thinly sliced)
1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
180g chicken thigh (boiled and shredded)
1 tsp cumin (or to taste)
1 tsp paprika powder (or to taste)
250g water
200g sunflower oil

For the Salsa

200g tomatillo
200g avocado
2 pcs jalapeño

Method

• Simmer annatto seeds in sunflower oil for 3 hours, remove from heat and allow the flavours to infuse overnight. Set the oil aside for use later.
• Make sofrito: heat oil in pan over low heat, then add onions. When onions are translucent, add garlic and stir from time to time. Once garlic is translucent, add the bell peppers and season with cumin and paprika powder to taste. Cover and allow sofrito to simmer over very low heat for 3 hours.
• Make dough: in a large bowl, combine corn flour, annatto seed oil (5 tbsp, seeds strained) and water. Knead until everything is evenly mixed.
• Combine chicken with sofrito and add mixture to the corn dough and knead until mixture is homogenous.
• Divide dough mixture into 6 portions. Paint a banana leaf with annatto seed oil and wrap each portion of dough mixture. Secure each packet with kitchen twine.
• Steam the packets for 7 minutes.
• While packets are steaming, make the salsa: char and peel tomatillos. Chop tomatillos, avocado and jalapenos with a knife to achieve a slightly chunky texture. Mix with a bit of oil and serve with your Venezuelan Tamals.

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It’s always a good time for pancakes. Whether you like them fat or thick, fluffy or flavoured, drizzled in sweet syrup or loaded with savoury toppings, it’s hard to go wrong with this comfort food staple. And the cherry on top is that they couldn’t be easier to make, requiring only a frying pan and some pantry essentials. Just in case you don’t already have a go-to recipe, we’re sharing our all-time favourite renditions to help you get started.

Read more: The Best Pancakes in Hong Kong

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Lacking an oven? Whether you’re looking to whip up a little edible gift for your loved ones (for real, brownies are the way to most people’s hearts) or just looking to bake before a Sunday night in, these treats wont disappoint. From cookie dough balls to peanut butter cups, these easy sweet treats will take you no time at all. No oven? No problem.

Read more: How To Make Your Own Bubble Tea At Home

The post No Oven? No Problem! 5 All-In-One Sweet Treats to Try Now appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Sometimes we struggle for inspiration when it comes to Christmas presents, especially when our nearest and dearest seem to have everything they could possibly need! The last thing we want to do is give a gift that may sit gathering dust or, worse still, never be taken out of its box. That’s why it can pay to get creative and gift some edible Christmas presents. Not only will you have fun making and packing them, but your recipients will love the personal touch and you’ll likely spend less overall than you would in the shops. There are plenty of great ideas out there, so we’ve decided to list some of our favourite edible Christmas presents which (spoiler alert!) our own friends and family will be receiving this year. Remember, half the fun is also in the packaging, so we’ve included some ideas for that too!

Read more: Quick & Easy Microwavable Mug Cakes Recipes To Try

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