Christmas spiced wine. Glühwein

How to make Christmas spiced wine.

With Christmas come a number of traditional dishes, both savory and sweet , but also classic drinks .

One of them is spiced wine or Glühwein , traditional from the countries of Central Europe and, more specifically, from Germany. In those lands it is very typical to find stalls selling spiced wine in the Christmas markets, which are always served warm .

The Glühwein is an aromatic Christmas drink refreshing, sweet and with which tone the body on cold days. There are as many versions as hands that prepare it, since the spices with which the wine is accompanied can be varied to taste.

That our indications serve as a guide, but each one that adapts them to the spices available at home and in the quantities that it deems appropriate.

Preparing this delicious concoction is a matter of sewing and singing, so there is no excuse not to jump into it and improvise a gathering of friends with whom to share it.

It is not necessary to consume it at the moment, the spiced wine can be reheated and consumed when you feel like it. Of course, in the three or four days following its elaboration. Accompanied by some good Christmas sweets it is delicious.

Preparation of the aromatics of the spiced wine

1. In a large saucepan we introduce all the herbs and spices, that is, the bay leaves, cloves, anise, cardamom seeds and cinnamon stick.
2. We peel the lemon and the orange trying not to take much of the white part, because it is bitter and can spoil the result.
3. Add the sugar and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until all the ingredients begin to release the aromas.

Preparation of the spiced wine

1. Next we incorporate a little of the red wine, we just want the sugar to be covered, and heat stirring with a wooden spoon until the latter has dissolved.
2. Finally we add the rest of the wine and heat the whole over medium heat without letting it boil for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
3. We adjust the sweetness point to taste, tasting a little of the spiced wine and adding more if we consider it necessary.
4. In case of consuming at the moment, we serve the wine in cups or glasses, passing it through a strainer to remove the spices. We can also leave to temper in the saucepan, strain it later and store in a bottle in the fridge until consuming when we heat it up again.
5. For an extra touch of flavor, we can add a splash of liquor to the spiced wine at the time of serving. Brandy or whiskey are two good options.

Be sure to enjoy all the drinks, desserts and sweets that we offer you in the special Christmas recipes .

Here you have a step by step in photos where I show how to prepare this Christmas spiced wine . Do not miss any detail so that it comes out yummy, to repeat.

Tips for a perfect spiced wine

• As we always recommend, the quality of the ingredients is essential when obtaining an optimal result. Especially when it comes to elaborations as simple as this spiced wine. Do not skimp and use a quality wine.
• Herbs and spices can be varied to taste. We have proposed bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves, but if you do not have any of them at home or you have less quantity than indicated, you can adjust the recipe to it.
• The same applies to citrus. In case you only have lemon or orange, well, go ahead with it, Do not stop you when preparing this delicious spiced or Glühwein wine.
• White sugar can be substituted for brown sugar, panela or even honey.
• You can prepare more quantity, dull in bottles or jars and give it away to your friends and family. It is a beautiful Christmas gift.