As a Dane Glögg (mulled wine) is an absolute must-have in December. With all it’s warm winter spices, sweetness, red wine and alcohol there is simply no other drink than Danish mulled wine, or glögg, that will get you into the real Christmas spirit like this one. It’s the perfect drink for when you return after a walk in the cold and you need a little something to bring warmth and comfort back into your body and bones.
This recipe was passed down to me from my grandmother who sent it to me in a real old school handwritten letter when I was 19 and had moved to London. Though I was spending Christmas with other Danes there, I couldn’t help but feel a little homesick and missed my family. But making this drink and sharing it with my new Danish friends did bring a welcome comfort. And though we all felt quite far away from home, we also felt we had brought with us a little of the real Danish Christmas spirit that we so missed.
Granny’s classic Glögg, or Danish mulled wine (serves 4)
Ingredients
13 oz (400 ml) water
3/4 cup (125 g) sugar
6 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tbsp cardamom pods, bruised
1/2 tbsp allspice
1 organic orange
5 oz (150 g) sultana raisins
2 oz (50 g) slivered almonds
1 bottle of red wine
8.5 oz (250 ml) port wine
8.5 oz (250 ml) clear akvavit schnapps or white rum
Directions
1. In a small saucepan mix the water with the sugar, all the spices and the zest and juice of the orange. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 10 min. Then remove from the heat and let it rest, preferably for a couple of hours, as it will give you a fuller flavor of spices. (If you are in a rush, however, you can also use the concentrate straight away).
2. Pour the concentrate through a sieve or strainer and transfer the liquid to a larger pot and add the red wine, schnapps/rum, port wine, raisins and almonds. Heat up gently until the drink is warm. Do not let it boil as it will make the alcohol evaporate! Just before it reaches the boiling point, pour into punch glasses or glass cups. Scoop up a couple of tablespoons of the raisins and almonds and put in each glass and it’s ready to be served.
Enjoy!
