Baked apple punch is an absolute classic during Christmas. Its aromatic and delicious flavors awaken the Christmas spirit and warm you up from the inside out.
First 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 up the apple juice, white wine, lemon zest, vanilla pod, cloves, and cinnamon sticks. While the broth will now infuse for at least 45 min., it definitely should not boil at any time. Else the spices might turn it bitter.
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!