Gourmet Christmas Punch

Gourmet Christmas Punch

Gourmet Christmas Punch: fresh, dried fruits and spices. The soul of Mexican posadas in a hot cup. Prepare it today!

Type: Drinks,Mexican cuisine,Christmas dishes

Cuisine: Mexican

Keywords: Drinks,Mexican cuisine,Christmas dishes

Recipe Yield: 10

Calories: 72 kcal

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking Time: 45 min

Total Time: 60 min

Recipe Ingredients:

• 4 liters of water
• 1 cone of piloncillo (or brown sugar to taste)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5 guavas cut into quarters
• 3 chopped apples
• 1 cup of tejocotes (peeled or in syrup)
• 1/2 cup of prunes
• 1 handful of hibiscus flower
• 1 peeled sugarcane, cut into sticks
• A splash of rum or brandy (optional for adults)

Recipe Instructions:

Base infusion :

Spices: Heat the water with the cinnamon and piloncillo until it dissolves. Add the hibiscus and let it boil for 5 minutes. Remove the hibiscus flowers if you prefer a clear broth.

Fruit cooking :

Hard fruits: Add the sugarcane and hawthorns. Cook 15 minutes.

Rest and adjustment :

Soft fruits: Add apple, guava, and prunes. Cook over medium-low heat until all the fruit is cooked and the punch has a lot of flavor (approx 20-30 min more).

Serve:

Final: Taste test. Serve very hot in clay mugs, adding the "piquete" (alcohol) to taste in each cup.

Editor's Rating:
4.7

Gourmet Christmas Punch Recipe

Christmas punch is a traditional Mexican drink that combines fresh and dried fruits with spices to create a hot, sweet, and aromatic broth perfect for December celebrations. This gourmet version carefully selects each ingredient to offer an authentic Christmas_punch, inviting you to share warm moments with family and friends.

Preparation time

To better organize this recipe, it is important to know the time required for each stage.

• Preparation: 20 minutes
• Cooking: 40 minutes
• Total: 1 hour
• Servings: 8
• Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

For the punch

• 4 liters of filtered water
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 8 whole cloves
• 5 tamarind pods, shelled
• ½ kilo of tejocotes (or wild apples), whole
• 6 guavas, peeled and in large pieces
• 2 red apples, peeled, cored and in small pieces
• 1 pear, peeled, cored and in small pieces
• 2 sugar cane stalks, peeled and in small pieces (4 inches each)
• 1 cup of pitted prunes
• ½ cup dark raisins
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 cone of chopped piloncillo (or 1 cup dark brown sugar)
• 1 ounce of brandy or tequila per cup (optional)

Note: If you can't find tejocotes, you can substitute them with additional apples. If fresh tamarind is not available, an option is to use hibiscus flowers to add color and a different acidic touch.

Utensils we will use

• Large pot or saucepan
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Wooden spoon or spatula for stirring
• Ladle for serving
• Containers or cups for serving the punch
• Strainer (optional, for removing spices)

Preparation

1. Boil the base ingredients

1. Add to water: place the 4 liters of filtered water in the large pot along with the cinnamon sticks, cloves, tamarind pods, and whole tejocotes.
2. Boil over high heat: place the pot over high heat until it begins to boil.
3. Reduce to low heat: once it boils, lower the heat and let it simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until the tejocotes are soft.

2. Prepare the tejocotes

1. Remove and peel: carefully remove the tejocotes from the pot, peel them to remove the tough skin, cut and discard the hard ends.
2. Cut and pit: cut the tejocotes in half and remove the seeds.
3. Return to the pot: put the tejocotes back into the pot with the rest of the liquid and ingredients.

3. Add the other fruits and sweetener

1. Include fresh fruits: add the guavas, apples, pears, sugar cane pieces, prunes, raisins, and orange slices.
2. Incorporate the piloncillo: add the chopped piloncillo, which will provide a characteristic sweetness and a caramelized flavor.
3. Mix gently: stir with the wooden spoon so that the piloncillo dissolves little by little.

4. Final cooking and cleaning

1. Simmer over low heat: let it cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring gently from time to time so that the sugar and flavors integrate well.
2. Remove spices: before serving, remove the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves to avoid very strong flavors or annoying textures.

To finish and serve

Serve the Christmas punch very hot, making sure that each cup has pieces of the cooked fruits. If you want a version with a special touch, add brandy or tequila to taste in each portion to make a spiked punch. This drink is perfect for enlivening cold party nights, inviting togetherness, and enjoying tradition with a gourmet touch.

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 72 kcal
• Proteins: 1 g
• Fats: 1 g
• Carbohydrates: 17 g
• Fiber: 3 g

These values are approximate per serving and may vary depending on the exact quantities and brands of ingredients used.

5 keys to make the Christmas Punch perfect

Creating a delicious and authentic Christmas punch involves more than just mixing ingredients; these tips are essential to improve the final result.

1. Use filtered water: this ensures a pure and clean taste, free of impurities that could affect the flavor.
2. Control the cooking point of the fruits: the tejocotes and other fruits should be soft, but not falling apart to preserve authentic texture and aroma.
3. Dissolve the piloncillo well: to prevent lumps or uneven flavor, stir patiently while it heats.
4. Remove the spices on time: if you leave cinnamon and cloves too long, they can dominate the flavor and make the punch bitter.
5. Adjust the level of sweetness and alcohol to taste: that customization is what makes each Christmas punch unique, respecting the preference of each diner.

When is it ideal to enjoy it?

Hot Christmas punch is ideal for cool December nights during posadas, family gatherings, or any year-end celebration. Its fruity and spiced flavor creates a cozy atmosphere that invites sharing and prolonging good conversations. Serving this drink at outdoor parties or indoors with a fireplace adds warmth and tradition to every sip, being a classic to welcome the December season.

Comparative table of Christmas Punch with similar recipes

Share your experience

After preparing this gourmet Christmas punch, we invite you to tell us how it turned out, what fruits or adjustments you added, and how you enjoyed the drink. The kitchen is a space to create and share, so your opinion and tricks will help others improve this traditional recipe.

Culinary glossary of Christmas Punch

• Tejocote: Small apple-like fruit, with a sweet and sour taste, typical in Christmas punch.
• Piloncillo: Unprocessed cane sugar in a cone shape, with a caramel flavor.
• Tamarind: Pod containing an acidic pulp used to flavor drinks and dishes.
• Simmer: Simmer just below boiling point to prevent rapid evaporation.
• Cloves: Small, aromatic spice that gives a warm and slightly sweet flavor, removed before serving.