Ingredients
Spice base
- 500 mlwater
- 150 gsugar
- 1cinnamon stick
- 8cardamom pods, crushed
- 6cloves
- 2cm ginger, sliced
- peel of 1 orange, no pith
- 1 tspbitter orange peel, optional
Wine
- 1.5 litresdry red wine
- 150 mlvodka or aquavit, optional
In the glass
- 100 graisins
- 100 gblanched almonds, split
Directions
- Bring the water, sugar, spices and orange peel to a boil, simmer five minutes, then take off the heat and leave to steep for at least 12 hours, covered. Overnight is the usual.
- The long cold steep is what gives depth. Boiling the spices hard for an hour instead makes a harsh, bitter glögg.
- Strain the spice syrup, pressing the solids, and discard them.
- Combine the syrup with the wine and the spirit if using, and heat gently.
- Bring it to about 75°C (167°F) — steaming, with the surface just trembling — and hold it there. Never let it boil: at a boil the alcohol goes off and the wine turns thin and stewed.
- Soak the raisins in a little of the warm glögg for ten minutes so they plump.
- Put a spoonful of raisins and a few almonds in the bottom of each glass and pour the hot glögg over.
- Serve with a small spoon, because the raisins and almonds at the bottom are eaten at the end and are half the point.
- Offer pepparkakor and blue cheese alongside, which is the traditional accompaniment.
Technique
- Steep cold overnight, then warm. Do not boil the wine.
- Almonds and raisins go in the glass, not the pot, or they go to mush.
- A cheap but drinkable dry red. Nothing tannic or oaky.
Substitutions
- White wine for a vit glögg, which is lighter and lets the cardamom through.
- Blackcurrant or apple juice for an alcohol-free version — the same syrup, warmed the same way.
- Port or ruby wine stirred in at the end for a richer glögg.
Variations
- Danish gløgg and Norwegian gløgg are the same drink under different spellings.
- A strong version topped up with aquavit, drunk in small glasses.
History
Spiced mulled wine sold commercially in Sweden from the 1890s; it is drunk hot through Advent with raisins and blanched almonds.
Frequently asked questions
What is Glögg?
Glögg is a wine & spirit from Sweden: mulled wine with almonds and raisins through Advent. Spiced mulled wine sold commercially in Sweden from the 1890s; it is drunk hot through Advent with raisins and blanched almonds.
How long does Glögg take to make?
Glögg takes 15 min plus 12 hours steeping of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes serves 8. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Glögg?
Yes, within limits. White wine for a vit glögg, which is lighter and lets the cardamom through. Blackcurrant or apple juice for an alcohol-free version — the same syrup, warmed the same way. Port or ruby wine stirred in at the end for a richer glögg.
What is the most important thing to get right in Glögg?
Bring it to about 75°C (167°F) — steaming, with the surface just trembling — and hold it there. Never let it boil: at a boil the alcohol goes off and the wine turns thin and stewed.
