No Christmas celebration in Sweden is complete without some Glögg (or Mulled Wine). If you haven’t tried it yet, no worries, there is no need to travel to Northern Europe to enjoy it. You can easily make it at home!
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What does glögg mean?
Glögg is a warm, spiced drink that is popular in the Nordics during Christmas. You will always see it in family gatherings, as well as office parties — where they serve it at the start of the main event, while everyone is ‘warming up.’ 🙂
The smell and the taste of glögg, it’s simply perfect for Christmas.
Be warned, though, when you prepare this at home; your entire kitchen would smell so good, you wouldn’t want to leave!
Ingredients to prepare
- Red Wine – go for any young, dry red wine, not the bold ones or the sweet kind (like Lambrusco).
Remember that you add spices to it, so it will be more difficult to balance the flavor if they have deep, oaky taste.
- Orange – some prefer to add orange slices instead of just the peels. It gives it a bit of too much orange flavor for me, so I only use the peels.
- Other liquor – traditionally, cognac or brandy are added to glögg. A lot of locals still do, just not my preference. But if you love those liquor, then go ahead and enjoy!
Instructions
Start by placing a medium-sized saucepan over low heat.
Pour both bottles of wine into the saucepan (photo 1).
Add orange peel, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and cloves (photo 2).
Add sugar (photo 3).
Mix until sugar has dissolved (photo 4).
Cover with a lid and continue simmering for about twenty minutes, mixing occasionally. Do not let it BOIL!
Take the saucepan off the heat.
Transfer it into a jug or bottle and let everything soak for at least two hours (ideally up to twenty-four hours).
When ready to serve, strain the spices and heat the glögg — enjoy some raisins and blanched almonds.
FAQs
- CAN YOU DRINK COLD MULLED WINE?
Absolutely.
But traditionally, it is served warm (not boiling). The warmth, coupled with spices’ aroma and flavor, is part of what gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling when drinking it.
- WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GLÖGG AND GLUHWEIN?
They refer to the same thing, except gluhwein is how they call it in Germany. Oh! And it’s called ‘vin brulé‘ in Italy. 🙂
- CAN YOU BOIL ALCOHOL OUT OF MULLED WINE?
Boiling will definitely cause most of the alcohol to evaporate.
Nothing wrong with that if that’s what you prefer. I see quite a lot of no-alcohol glögg sold here in Stockholm as well. So, it’s not an anomaly at all.
- HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP A BOTTLE OF GLÖGG?
If you keep it sealed in a container, it will stay fresh for about 3 to 5 days. Just keep it refrigerated, then warm it up when serving.
WHAT CAN I SERVE WITH IT?
It is excellent with gingerbread cookies, lussekatter (Swedish saffron buns), or a slice of this saffron cake.
Give these combos a try!
Swedish Mulled Wine (Glögg)
Ingredients
- 2 bottles red wine, (750 ml each)
- 1 medium orange peel
- 4 sticks cinnamon
- 3 pcs star anise
- 15 pcs cardamom pods
- 15 pcs cloves
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/3 cup almonds, blanched
Instructions
Preparing Swedish mulled wine:
- Place a medium-sized to a large saucepan over low heat and pour the wine into it.
- Add the peels, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and cloves.
- Add the sugar and mix until completely dissolved.
- Continue simmering for 15 minutes — but do not let it boil.
- Take it off the heat, transfer the wine into a bottle or jug, and let everything soak for 2 to 24 hours.
Serving homemade glögg:
- Strain the spices and heat the wine (again, do not boil).
- Pour into serving glasses or mugs.
- Serve with some almonds and raisins.
Notes
- Do not boil the wine. It causes most of the alcohol to evaporate.
- Use young, dry red wine instead of sweet or robust variety.
- If you prefer a more orangey flavor in your homemade mulled wine, use orange slices instead of orange peels.
- Cognac or brandy are traditionally added in glögg, so feel free to do so if you like it.
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