Glühwein, also known as mulled wine, can be traced to the ancient Romans, who heated wine to cope with the cold winters and used spices to enhance its taste and aroma. The Roman Empire’s expansion helped spread this practice throughout Europe.
The term “Glühwein” itself is German, translating to “glow wine”. Glühwein is often prepared with red wine, heated with various spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and sometimes citrus fruits or sugar.
Over time, Glühwein became associated with holiday traditions, particularly Christmas markets. The blend of spices and the warmth it provided made it a staple during winter festivals. Germany is often credited with popularising Glühwein and it remains a cherished part of Christmas markets across Europe. Different regions and cultures have their own variations of Glühwein which makes every Gluhwein unique!
When I was staying in France, I used to go to the nearby Christmas market a lot, and I just couldn’t get enough of the Glühwein from a little shop there. They also sold these amazing Belgian waffles with homemade apricot jam and whipped cream, and having them together in the cold wintery weather was absolute HEAVEN! This recipe really closely resembled the Glühwein from the little shop – so here’s to hoping you fall just as in love with it as I did too!
BEE ROLL
TIPS & TRICKS / SUBSTITUTIONS
TIPS & TRICKS
Cooking
Okay, you will probably see me repeating this a lot throughout this recipe post and I don’t mean to be an old grandma but it is really important to make sure that the Glühwein does not reach boiling point at any point during cooking or during the reheating. If the Glühwein reaches boiling point, all of the alcohol will evaporate and all of our efforts in making this delicious Glühwein will be lost.
Leftover into something new?
If you have leftover Glühwein and you don’t really want to drink it all, I’ll show you how to turn that leftover Glühwein into a classic dessert called Stoofpeertjes. (Hint: you would need 550 ml of Glühwein)
STEPS ON MAKING GLÜHWEIN
Prepare the fruits by cutting half of an orange into thin slices. Core half of an apple and slice it thinly. Set them aside.
In a pot, combine the Cabernet Sauvignon, water, orange pieces, apple pieces, sugar, cinnamon, and star anise. Use a ladle to mix everything together.
Place the pot on the stove over low heat and let it simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Occasionally stir to prevent any sugar from sticking to the bottom and ensure even cooking.
Once the Glühwein has finished simmering, use a ladle to pour the wine into desired cups. Add a piece of apple or orange to each cup.
STORAGE
Strain the Gluhwein using a strainer in an airtight glass container and discard the fruits. Store the remaining Glühwein in the refrigerator for a maximum of two days. When you’re ready to consume it, heat it up in a pot over low heat until it’s hot but not boiling. It’s crucial to ensure the Glühwein doesn’t reach boiling point to prevent the alcohol from evaporating. Serve and enjoy!
Glühwein
Ingredients
- 750 ml Cabernet Sauvignon 1 bottle
- 300 ml Water
- 1/2 Orange
- 1/2 Apple pink lady
- 150 grams Fine White Sugar castor sugar
- 1 stick Cinnamon
Instructions
- Cut half an orange into thin slices. Core half an apple and cut it into thin slices. Set them aside.
- Combine Cabernet Sauvignon, water, orange and apple pieces, sugar, cinnamon, and star anise in a pot. Mix with a ladle.
- Place the pot on low heat, simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sugar sticking.
- After simmering, ladle the Glühwein into cups. Add a piece of apple or orange to each cup.
NUTRITION FACTS
Total Fat: 0.12 mg
Sodium: 0.43 mg
Dietary Fiber: 1.46 mg
Protein: 0.6 g
Vitamin C: 25.06 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 35.54 g
Sugars: 30.62 g
Vitamin A: 31.6 mcg
Iron: 0.17 mg
Daily values based on a 2,000 calorie diet.