2012 Ingredient of the Week 16: Hot Toddy & Winter Warmer Drinks

The Hill Billy

Not so much an ingredient, but more of a seasonal theme. This week we are looking for your Hot Toddy & Winter Warmer Drinks - whether they get the chill out of your bones after a bracing winter walk, or a wee something to spice up an evening in front of the fire.

oscarBravo

Danish gløgg (mulled wine) is simply fantastic.

Soak a cup of raisins in half a cup of akvavit (which Danes call "snaps") if you can get it; failing that, use rum, or even vodka. You can also add some orange liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier. Leave to soak for a few hours or overnight. Toast half a cup of flaked almonds in a dry pan and set aside.

Take two cups of port with a the juice of two oranges and half a cup of orange liqueur, add 1/3 - 1/2 cup of brown sugar to taste, the zest of the oranges, a dozen cloves and two cinnamon sticks. (Throw in a star anise if you're feeling adventurous.) Put them in a big pan, bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and leave uncovered to reduce for 15 minutes or so.

Add two bottles of red wine and warm it up with the lid on, but don't let it boil. Mix the almonds with the raisins, put a generous teaspoon of the mixture in a mug, and strain the hot gløgg into the mug. Serve with a teaspoon in the mug so you can eat the raisins and almonds while you drink.

This is traditionally served with æbleskiver, which are like tiny spherical pancakes, and come with icing sugar and blackberry jam. But that's another story...

Lovely Bloke

I hope someone posts a good recipe for Mulled Wine, we were in Budapest last week, and the mulled wine at the Xmas Markets there was delicious.

The stuff from Aldi/Lidl isn't the best.

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My recipe for a hot whiskey is pretty simple.

A shot of some Irish whiskey, Jemmy, Powers etc.

Stud a half slice of lemon with six or seven cloves, and place in the glass with some sugar and then pour the whiskey over

Stick a spoon in the glass to prevent is from cracking when you add the hot water.

Add hot water to desired level, then stir to dissolve the sugar.

Allow to cool, and the lemon and clove flavour to infuse their flavours.

Drink.

foodaholic

Any good egg nog recipes ?

oscarBravo

TheNinthGate wrote: »

I hope someone posts a good recipe for Mulled Wine...

I just did, but I realise I forgot to make that clear. Gløgg is Danish mulled wine.

Alun

oscarBravo wrote: »

Danish gløgg (mulled wine) is simply fantastic.

I was in Copenhagen last week and savoured this for the first time in the various Christmas markets. I wondered why I was given a spoon with it, but soon discovered why when I got to the bottom of the cup

Minder

Honeyed vodka or krupnik, served hot or cold, is a favorite among Poles. And, since it's steeped in aromatic spices, less than top-shelf vodka will do just fine. Krupnik is the only alcoholic beverage served at the solemn wigilia or Christmas Eve dinner. No matter what temperature it's served at, krupnik warms the body from the inside out. Perfect for the holidays!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cold water
2 cups sugar
4 cups boiling water
1/4 vanilla bean, split
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 whole cloves
1 small cinnamon stick, cracked in half
10 black peppercorns
20 allspice berries
1 1/3 cups honey
Zest from 1 orange
2 cups vodka
Preparation:

In a large saucepan, combine cold water and sugar and heat until it dissolves. Add boiling water, vanilla bean, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns and allspice. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Strain the simple syrup you've just created through cheesecloth or a coffee filter and return to the saucepan. Add the honey and zest, and heat, stirring, until the honey has completely dissolved. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat.

Gradually stir in vodka. Serve hot. If serving, cold, let honeyed vodka come to room temperature, transfer to a lidded jar and refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

oscarBravo

Alun wrote: »

I was in Copenhagen last week and savoured this for the first time in the various Christmas markets. I wondered why I was given a spoon with it, but soon discovered why when I got to the bottom of the cup

Did you have æbleskiver as well?

The Hill Billy

TheNinthGate wrote: »

I hope someone posts a good recipe for Mulled Wine, we were in Budapest last week, and the mulled wine at the Xmas Markets there was delicious.

The stuff from Aldi/Lidl isn't the best.

I hate to tell you, but after visiting many markets around Europe over the past 20 years, most of the mulled wine sold is not from 'Granny's 60yo super-sekrit recipe', but from a bottle like they sell in Lidl or Aldi with perhaps an added bit of spice/juice/alcohol to make a bit of a difference.

Cheshire Cat

TheNinthGate wrote: »

I hope someone posts a good recipe for Mulled Wine, we were in Budapest last week, and the mulled wine at the Xmas Markets there was delicious.

The stuff from Aldi/Lidl isn't the best.

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Try the Mulling Syrup from the "make your own pressies" thread, it's lovely!

Martyn1989

Rum
Hot Chocolate
Half a teaspoon of sugar
Layer cream on top Irish coffee style.

Hot Whiskey the same as above but with Honey instead of sugar.

Alun

oscarBravo wrote: »

Did you have æbleskiver as well?

Of course :P

sdp

Rum and Brandy toddy

225g sugar
2 large lemons rind of in strips and juiced
600ml rum
600ml brandy
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 litre water

put water,sugar, lemon rind and juice over med heat and stir till sugar dissolves
add brandy, rum and nutmeg, heat with out boiling, serves about 8-10

sdp

watched this last night, looked really good

http://hobbshousebakery.co.uk/recipes/detail/spicy-mulled-cider

oscarBravo

Mmm, mulled cider is gorgeous.

Tree

Rich hot chocolate with a dash of amaretto. Yer only man,.

BaZmO*

oscarBravo wrote: »

Mmm, mulled cider is gorgeous.

It'd have to be a proper cider like this or this

I've never tried Mulled Cider but with a decent cider I'd say it tastes amazing.

Tree wrote: »

Rich hot chocolate with a dash of amaretto. Yer only man,.

Hmmm, sounds interesting (and quite delicious). I love an Amaretto Sour cocktail, so I'm definitely gonna try this.

decisions

Jamie Oliver's hot chocolate is incredible.

Mellor

TheNinthGate wrote: »

Stick a spoon in the glass to prevent is from cracking when you add the hot water.

I do this too. And I tell people its for the same reason. And most people I know who make them often do it also.

But, I've seen lots of people not do it, or forget. And I never seen a glass crack. I wonder how much truth there is to it.

Lovely Bloke

I've cracked a glass before

It was when I was a barman, and the water came out of one of those hot water machines.

In all probability, the glass was weak too.

Martyn1989

Mellor wrote: »

I do this too. And I tell people its for the same reason. And most people I know who make them often do it also.

But, I've seen lots of people not do it, or forget. And I never seen a glass crack. I wonder how much truth there is to it.

Glasses have a certain amount of 'give' in them with regards to expanding and contracting at different temps. They also deteriorate over time, anyone who has worked in a pub can tell you the story of an old glass almost disintegrate in their hand or the bottom of a hot whiskey glass drop out when you added hot water. The glasses in bars get bumped around alot, your glasses at home don't so are less likely to break. Its a good idea to use the spoon to absorb some of the heat, especially if your using wine glasses.

pampootie

I cracked a kilner bottle over the weekend by pouring hot water in. Thought I'd be grand!

Alun

If you make your own sloe gin, as I do, then when you bottle it don't throw out the berries, but use them to make 'slider', which is just cider, preferentially still, with the berries soaked in it for a week or so. Served warm it's great, and the alcohol in the berries leaches out making it stronger. Alternatively, first make 'shlerry' by soaking the berries in sherry, and then use the resulting berries to make 'shlider'

Dinkie

Tree wrote: »

Rich hot chocolate with a dash of amaretto. Yer only man,.

I was going to say exactly the same

In that case, I've just finished making arancello from the christmas prezzies thread in the cooking forum. Its a spiced orange vodka drink

Put 1l vodka in a jar and add cinamon stick, star anise, 3 cardomon seeds and zest of 5 oranges.
Leave a week
Add 500mls sugar disolved in 500mls water.
Leave another week.
Strain and pour into sterilized bottles.
Add in 1 stick cinamon and some grated orange zest for decoration.

Can't remember who posted this originally in the thread - but credit where its due - its delish