Linked from Wikimedia Commons. Author: Kore Nordmann
Ingredients:
- 3 bottles Red Wine (2-3 liters total)
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- 1-2 Oranges
- 1-2 Lemons
- 5 Whole Cloves
- 4 Allspice, whole
- 2 Cardamon, whole – optional
- Cane sugar to taste
- 1 German Sugar Cone* – “Zuckerhut”
- Rum 160 proof
Equipment needed: see remarks below
Directions:
Combine the first 8 ingredients into a large enough pot and heat.
The Sugar amount depends on the sweetness/dryness of the wine you are using and to your taste of how sweet you like the final result. In Germany the end result is usually on the sweet side.
When heated let it draw over low heat for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Do not boil!!!
Set up the equipment** as listed below.
Instead of a sugar cone you can pile up sugar cubes on the tongs.
Precaution to take, when your guests arrive, collect their car keys and store them in a safe place. This drink will sneak up on you!!
Also turn down the lights for ambience.
Soak the sugar with the rum and light.
The “romantic” blue flame will melt the sugar and it will drip into the hot wine.
Spoon more rum over the sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Be careful not to set your house on fire.
Never pour the rum directly from the bottle on to the flame!!!
Serve in porcelain mugs or heatproof glasses.
Tongs for the sugar cone
**Here is the equipment you need for this:
A ovenproof 5 Quart Glass Bowl or a stainless steel round Chafing Dish.
The tongs to rest the sugar cone on.
A Sugar Cone, see link below
*Here is a link to a YouTube video on how to make your Sugar Cone at home.
And another sugar cone making link: Mini “Zuckerhut”
A Raclette or Swiss Cheese Fondue is a nice add on for this evening!
.
.
.
I see recipes calling for up scale wines for this, with the added sugar you do not have to be that fussy. Using ALDI or Trader Joe’s red wine assortment will give you just as many positive opinions, even from my wine connoisseur friends.