Winter's Spice Glögg

Description: Warm your spirits with Winter's Spice Glögg, a fragrant and festive cocktail perfect for frosty nights. Infused with an array of spices and enriched with port wine and dark rum, this glögg offers a delightful blend of warmth and sweetness. It's a cozy concoction meant to be savored in the comfort of winter's embrace. Serve in a tall glass with a wintery ambiance. Ingredients: - 1 vanilla pod (seeds removed) - 200g white sugar - 200g brown sugar (preferably muscovado) - ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg - 20 whole cloves - 4 cinnamon sticks - 10 cardamom pods (seeds removed) - 10 whole peppercorns - 1 tbsp ground allspice - 5 star anise - 1 licorice root (more if desired) - 25g fresh ginger (julienned) - 3dl fresh apple juice or cider - 1 lemon (thinly sliced, peel on) - 2 oranges (thinly sliced, peel on) - 1dl snaps or vodka (optional—but recommended!) - 6dl port wine - 1.5dl dark rum Instructions: 1. Combine the vanilla seeds, pod, sugars, spices, licorice root, ginger, and apple juice in a large pot. Heat slowly until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Remove from heat and stir in the snaps, rum, and port wine. Pour this mixture, along with the spices, into sterilized jars or bottles. Add the citrus slices evenly. 3. Seal the containers and let them cure in a cool room for 1–3 weeks, shaking occasionally. Adjust the flavors if needed by removing certain spices or citrus rind as the mixture matures. 4. After curing, strain the mixture through a fine mesh or cloth. Transfer to clean bottles for storage. Serving: To serve, warm 2dl of red wine per glass in a pot. Once it simmers, remove from heat and stir in ½dl of Glögg extract. Pour into a tall glass and garnish with sliced almonds and rum-soaked raisins for a traditional finish. Enjoy this comforting drink in a wintery setting.