Bright colors, hot steam, aromatic scent of apples, cinnamon, and cloves — this spicy baked apple punch is perfect if you want to have a little Christmas market feeling in your living room! This delicious punch consists of apples, apple juice, and a good shot. It provides warmth and coziness during the cold season.
Even if the recipes out there differ in some aspects, a baked apple punch usually consists of apple juice, apples, spices, and alcohol. The Christmas drink is prepared in no time and guarantees a great mood, even with spontaneous guests.
There are many tips and variations that we would like to recommend you to try out!
To prepare a baked apple punch, you only need a few ingredients, an oven, and a large enough pot. To make sure that the apples develop their full aroma, bake them in the oven first — this ensures the delicious baked apple flavor of the punch.
While the apples are cooking, heat apple juice, wine, and spices in a pot to form the spicy base for the baked apple punch.
Baked Apple Punch
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Baked apple punch is an absolute classic during Christmastime. Its super aromatic and delicious flavors awaken the Christmas spirit and warm you up from the inside out.
Peel the lemon zest into fine strips, using a spiral slicer. Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise, so the vanilla aroma can develop better in the punch.
In a large saucepan, heat apple juice, white wine, lemon zest, vanilla pod, cloves, and cinnamon sticks. The broth should now infuse for 45 min. but is not allowed to boil in any case.
Preheat the oven to 220 °C, top/bottom heat. Halve and core the apples and sprinkle with brown sugar. Place in a greased baking dish and cook in the oven for 25 min.
After letting the apple broth steep for 45 min, add the Calvados and heat it again. Again, make sure that the brew does not boil.
Remove the apples from the oven and place them in a large glass container, e.g., a punch carafe. Pour the apple juice in — and you're ready to serve!
To obtain aromatic and good-looking baked apples, select apple varieties for the preparation that don’t fall apart in the oven. Suitable varieties include Jonagold, Gravensteiner, Boskoop or Cox Orange. These guarantee beautiful and fruity baked apple halves.
As we all know, the visual appeal also plays an important role — so why not provide an impressive garnish? If the punch glasses are topped with an airy cream and dusted with a hint of cinnamon, it gives the hot drink an elegant touch.
If you like to, you can cut out stars from fine apple slices, sprinkle them with some lemon juice, and put them on the cream topping or directly into the punch. A cinnamon stick in the glass or a lemon slice, which is stuck on the edge of the glass, has a particularly Christmassy effect.
If you want the baked apple punch to taste good, it is worth paying attention to the quality of the wine. Of course, it doesn’t have to be the high-priced rarity — but you should still refrain from using cheap alcohol. Even if the punch contains many delicious spices, the aroma of the wine is still noticeable.
Last but not least, make sure to remove the spices after the brew is done. Otherwise, they can become bitter and spoil the great flavor of the punch. Just use a small disposable tea filter, so you don’t have to take the spices out of the brew individually.
Frequently asked questions
Can the baked apple punch also be prepared without alcohol?
Children at the party or a request for a non-alcoholic drink are no problems. Instead of alcohol, simply add the juice of three oranges and one lemon to the apple juice. Then add sugar to taste.
Can you prepare the punch without baked apples?
If you’re in a hurry and don’t have enough time to cook the apples, there’s an uncomplicated substitute. Instead of the baked apples, you can add between four and eight bags of baked apple tea to the brew. The amount and brewing time of the tea bags are according to personal preference. It is recommended to taste the brew now and then until it has achieved the desired flavor.
Über Leon Zeschke | Leon is a food blogger, nutritionist, and passionate cocktail nerd. He loves trying out new cocktails and sharing his creations. Jonas is also one of the founders and part of the editorial team of Alcipedia.com. Mehr über: Leon Zeschke | Webseite
Leon is a food blogger, nutritionist, and passionate cocktail nerd. He loves trying out new cocktails and sharing his creations. Jonas is also one of the founders and part of the editorial team of Alcipedia.com.
