Spiced Scandinavian Mulled Wine Glögg Recipes

GLöGG (SWEDISH MULLED WINE)

Steps:

• Heat sugar and water in a large saucepan until it has dissolved.
• Add liquor, raisins, and almonds. Tie the spices and peel in a square of cheesecloth (or place in a tea ball) and place into the mixture.
• Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until it begins to steam (do not let it boil), 30-40 min.
• Taste and add more sugar if you would like, dissolving ¼ c sugar in ¼ c water at a time.
• When the mixture is warm, remove the spices and serve it immediately, making sure to float some almonds and raisins in each glass. '
• Alternately, remove the almonds and raisins and place the glögg into jars (or bottles). Store in the refrigerator to be used within 1-2 weeks.

OLD-FASHIONED SWEDISH GLOGG

Steps:

• Heat the port wine over medium heat until just below the simmer point in a large stockpot with a lid. Add bourbon and rum, and bring back to just below simmering. Save the bottles and their caps for storing leftover glogg.
• While the wine and liquors are heating, place the cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange peel onto the center of the square of cheesecloth. Gather together the edges of the cheesecloth, and tie with kitchen twine to secure.
• When mixture is very hot but not boiling, carefully light it with a long-handled match. Wearing a heatproof cooking mitt, carefully pour the sugar into the flames, and let the mixture burn for 1 minute. Put the lid on the stockpot to extinguish the flames, and turn off the heat. Let the mixture cool, covered, for about 10 minutes; add the cheesecloth bundle of spices and the raisins and almonds to the warm wine mixture and let it cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Strain the cooled glogg and reserve the raisins and almonds.
• To store, pour strained glogg into the bottles, recap, and keep upright in a cool dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate the steeped raisins and almonds in a covered bowl or jar for up to 1 year.
• To serve, pour glogg into a saucepan and warm over low-medium heat until hot but not simmering, about 5 minutes. Ladle 3 ounces of warmed glogg into a small coffee cup or small Swedish-style glogg mug, and garnish each serving with a few reserved raisins and almonds.

TRADITIONAL SWEDISH GLöGG

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Combine the wine, bourbon or vodka (if using), sugar, orange zest, raisins, cardamom pods, ginger root, cinnamon stick, and cloves into a 2- to 3-quart pot. Heat to 175 F (77 C) and let simmer for 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let stand and steep for 1 hour.
• Strain to remove the fruit and spices and gently reheat the punch.
• Add a few slivered almonds and raisins to each serving glass and garnish with a slice of orange, and serve.

SWEDISH MULLED WINE (GLOGG)

Steps:

• Combine wines in a large saucepan. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest of citrus fruits. Squeeze fruits and add juice to wine. Tie up lemon peel, orange peel and spices in cheesecloth and add to wine. Add raisins, almonds and sugar.
• Bring wine mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer for 15 minutes, or until flavors are well blended and almonds are soft. Skim wine from time to time to remove any foam. Taste glogg and add sugar as necessary.
• Just before serving, add bitters and aquavit or vodka. Ladle glogg into mugs or cups and provide each guest a spoon for eating the raisins and almonds.