Shrunken Head Mulled Wine

Method

• Fill a bowl with cold water and add the lemon juice.
• Using an apple corer, remove the cores from the apples and cut each one in half.
• Use a small sharp knife to carefully carve out a spooky face in each apple half, then place them in the lemon water to stop them discolouring.
• Preheat the oven to 120C, gas mark ½. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper. Place the apple heads on the tray and bake for between 1½ to 2 hours, or until the apples have begun to dry out and shrink.
• To make the mulled wine, place all the ingredients into a large pan and heat gently, stirring occasionally so the sugar does not stick - do not boil or the mulled wine will lose its kick. Float the shrunken apple heads on top.
• Using a ladle, carefully serve the wine into sturdy glasses, including an apple head in each glass.