We interrupt all the seriousness of coffee related discussions about quality and Direct Trade and whatnot with a little update on ‘that other warm favourite drink of ours’: Gløgg!

Some of the readers are probably familiar with my old recipe for Gløgg which lately has been makings its rounds on Twitter. But that was 2007 and since then I’ve been trying to improve on it and make the recipe a little more exact.

You can find many recipes for apple or white wine gløgg online, but I am all in favour of red wine gløgg personally. I do love the occasional apple gløgg or one with white wine and white port, but not when I make it myself.

So, here is this years version of traditional Danish Christmas Gløgg.

To explain, you must first make an extract of all the spices, which you have to make at least the day before – but this can also be made up to a couple of weeks before. If you make a big portion you’ll have for several days of gløgg-happiness!

1 litre of water or red wine (I’ve used both with success)
8 whole Cardemom seeds
8 whole Star Anise
5 Cinnamon sticks (just 3 if they are really long)
10-15 Cloves
15-20 Pebbercorns
1 Bay Leaf
1 cm³ Ginger (fresh or a little more dried)
1-2 Lemons (just the peel)
1 Orange (peel and juice)
½ Vanilla pod (or just ¼ if it’s a good quality)
1 dl. Dark Brown Sugar (the sticky Danish Brun Farin is the best)

Optional:
Allspice
Juniper
Nutmeg

Crush all the spices slightly and boil them with the lemon and orange peel, orange juice, vanilla and sugar. Let it simmer with the lid on for half an hour. Put aside and cool down and keep refridgerated. Sieve just before use.

The day before you’re going to make the Gløgg cover about 2 dl. of raisins with dark rum.
You’ll also need to scald the same amount of almonds, remove the peel and chop them in small sticks, but this can be done on the same day of making the gløgg.

Gløgg
Use approx:
0,5 l. of the extract to
0,75 l. of red wine (one bottle).
1-2 dl. Port Wine
Add the almonds, raisins and rum and heat up gently.
½ dl. Blackcurrant concentrated juice. 
½ dl Cointreau or Grand Marnier
Some snaps, cognac or more dark rum if you feel up for it.

Sweeten to taste with more Dark Brown sugar, muscovado sugar, blackcurrant juice or honey. The balance is important. It should be sweet but not too sweet.

The Gløgg must never boil! But it should be really warm when it’s served and you should feel a good buzz from just inhaling the scent :-)