Whether it’s to warm up after a cold day shopping for presents, to unwind after planning for the big day or just because you are feeling the festive spirit, we’ve got 7 recipes for tasty tipples for you to try. Well it is Christmas after all…
German Kinderpunsch
Boil 225ml of water, 1 cinnamon stick, 150g of caster sugar and 2 pinches of ground cloves in a 3 litre saucepan. Stir in 750ml of apple juice and heat through without boiling. Pop sliced lemon in a serving bowl and add the mixture, removing the spices as you do so. Serve and enjoy!
Snowball
This is a simple but delicious festive drink. Pour roughly equal parts of advocaat and lemonade into a long glass adding an optional squeeze of fresh lime juice before gently stirring. It is also tradition in our household to add a shot of brandy for good measure.
Mulled Wine
Pour a bottle of dry red wine (doesn’t need to be expensive) into a large saucepan, add 2 cinnamon sticks, a dessertspoon each of whole cloves and whole allspice together with the rind of a large orange and lemon and heat gently over a medium heat. Not letting the mixture boil, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and once dissolved try a little bit to see if you’d like to add some more (no more than 4 tablespoons in total). Simmer gently on a medium to low heat for about 20 minutes and serve in mugs.
Mock Champagne
A non-alcoholic celebratory drink for kids and grown ups alike. Simply mix 1L of chilled sparkling water, 1 litre of chilled ginger ale and 700ml of chilled white grape juice in a large glass jug. Serve immediately in champagne flutes just like the real thing.
Traditional Wassail
A great winter warmer for big parties minus the alcohol! Bring 750ml of water, 8 whole cloves, 300g of caster sugar and 3 cinnamon sticks to the boil and boil for 10 minutes. Then remove from the heat, cover and leave to cool for 1 hour. Once cooled, add 350ml of orange juice, 225ml of lemon juice and 3 litres of apple juice, stir and boil for 10-15 minutes. Remove the cloves and cinnamon and serve.
Gluhwein
A German version of mulled wine bursting with flavour! Add 175ml of water to a saucepan together with 150g of caster sugar and a cinnamon stick and bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer. When the mixture is simmering, cut an orange in half and squeeze the juice in to the saucepan. Push cloves into the outer skin of the orange and place into the simmering water for 30 minutes until the mixture is thick and syrup like. Now add a bottle of red wine and heat gently until it is steaming but not simmering. Serve after removing the cloves and orange halves.
Gingerbread Latte
Excellent for a caffeine fix! Pop 4 tablespoons of espresso coffee and 2 tablespoons of gingerbread flavoured syrup in to a coffee cup and stir. Pour in 120ml of steamed milk, top with whipped cream and sprinkle on a pinch of nutmeg, a touch of ground cinnamon and half a teaspoon of vanilla powder. We suggest enjoying snuggled up in front of a good Christmas movie.
Mulled Cider
Grab a large saucepan and chuck in 1.5 litres of dry cider, 100g demerara sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, 1 teaspoon of allspice with the zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon. Heat over a low heat whilst occasionally stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Leave on a low heat 10-15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Sieve into a jug and serve in heatproof glasses.
Hope you have enjoyed these delicious drink recipes!
