Ingredients
Drink
- 400 mlrakija, šljivovica for preference
- 4 tbsphoney
- 3 tbspsugar, for the caramel
Optional
- 1cinnamon stick
- 3cloves
- a strip of lemon or orange peel
- a splash of water
To serve
- small heatproof glasses or mugs
Equipment
- a small heavy pan
- a lid to hand
Directions
- Take the pan off the heat before adding any more rakija. That said, this is a straightforward drink and the caution is simply about handling spirit sensibly.
- Put the sugar in a small heavy pan over a medium heat. Let it melt without stirring, swirling the pan occasionally. Do not stir melting sugar with a spoon, which makes it crystallise into lumps.
- Swirl the pan instead. Cook it until it turns a deep amber, the colour of dark honey. Take it to a real amber but not beyond. Now take the pan off the heat entirely. Add a splash of water very carefully, standing back, because it will spit violently.
- Return it to a low heat and warm it gently until it is hot to the touch but nowhere near simmering. Never let it boil.
- Add the honey and stir until dissolved. Add the honey off the heat or at the lowest setting, because honey heated hard loses its aroma and tastes flat.
- Add the cinnamon, cloves and citrus peel if using and let them infuse for a couple of minutes. Taste it and adjust the honey. It should be sweet, warming and clearly alcoholic, with the caramel giving a burnt-sugar depth behind the plum.
- Serve it hot, in small measures, and sip it. It is served after time outdoors in the cold, at winter gatherings, and at mountain huts across Šumadija and central Serbia.
Technique
- Šumadija is the central Serbian region the drink is named for.
- The name is deliberately ironic, since there is no tea in it.
- Simpler versions skip the caramel and simply warm rakija with honey.
Substitutions
- Any fruit rakija, and šljivovica is the standard.
- Brown sugar in place of making a caramel, which is quicker.
Variations
- Made without caramel, simply with honey.
- With cinnamon and cloves.
- Made with quince or apricot rakija.
History
Named Šumadija tea as a joke, since it contains no tea at all, only heated rakija; drunk in central Serbia in cold weather.
Frequently asked questions
What is Šumadijski čaj?
Šumadijski čaj is a cocktail from Serbia: hot rakija sweetened with honey and caramel, drunk in winter. Named Šumadija tea as a joke, since it contains no tea at all, only heated rakija; drunk in central Serbia in cold weather.
How long does Šumadijski čaj take to make?
Šumadijski čaj takes 5 min of preparation and 10 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Šumadijski čaj?
Yes, within limits. Any fruit rakija, and šljivovica is the standard. Brown sugar in place of making a caramel, which is quicker.
What is the most important thing to get right in Šumadijski čaj?
Put the sugar in a small heavy pan over a medium heat. Let it melt without stirring, swirling the pan occasionally. Do not stir melting sugar with a spoon, which makes it crystallise into lumps.
