Glühwein or Gluehwein or Mulled Wine - A Hot Spiced Drink for Christmas

If you have ever visited a Christmas Market in Germany - a Christkindlmarkt - you will have at least smelled the Glühwein being heated in large cauldron if not actually tasted it! I so love that they serve it to you in real mugs - not paper - and for about one Euro more you get to keep that mug as a souvenir!

I've tasted Glühwein at markets in Germany and here in Canada and thought it was time to make some of my own. Here is the recipe I use as a starting point - depending on the day I may add or subtract from this recipe sometimes throwing in some extra spices, sometimes using rock sugar rather than honey, sometimes using dried citrus rather than fresh.

Glühwein Recipe

• 1 - 750 ml bottle of bold dry red wine (you don't need an expensive wine as the flavors will be somewhat overshadowed by the spices and citrus)
• 1/2 cup of brandy or rum or Cointreau Optional  (perhaps skip the extra liqueurs if you are making Feuerzangenbowle)
• 1 cup water
• 1 large orange, peeled then juiced - you'll be using both the peel and the juice
• 1 lemon, peeled - you'll use the peel and zest and maybe a squirt of juice
• 1/2 cup sugar (brown or white) or honey - you may want to cut this in half if you are using the Mulled Wine for Feuerzangenbowle
• 6-10 whole cloves
• 1 nutmeg, about 10 gratings
• 1-2 cinnamon stick (or 6-10 pieces of cinnamon bark)
• 2-4 star anise
• You may choose to throw in a pinch of other spices like cardamon, vanilla bean, Allspice, etc. You may also choose to lightly toast the spices in the pot before you add liquids.

Into a medium sized pot over medium heat put the water, lemon peel and orange peel and juice. Add the sugar/honey and the spices. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 20-30 minutes to reduce the liquid to a thin syrup.

Turn down the heat and add the wine and slowly bring the pot back to a low simmer. You don't want to boil the wine as that burns off the alcohol. Ladle the hot wine into mugs and garnish with an orange slice, maybe some cranberries or a cinnamon stick.

So now you have the Glühwein or Mulled Wine - it's a terrific hot drink on its own but consider taking it up a notch and create Feuerzangenbowle - or Fire Punch! Read more about Feuerzangenbowle here.

Holiday Cheer to you!

Tamara
Owner @ Gingerbread World