Glögg — spiced Nordic mulled wine
A red wine gently heated with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and orange zest, sweetened and spiced, served piping hot with almonds and raisins at the bottom of the cup.
A red wine gently heated with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and orange zest, sweetened and spiced, served piping hot with almonds and raisins at the bottom of the cup.
In December, in Lund, the day lasts almost nothing — so we make light indoors. I let the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves infuse in the wine without ever boiling it: you heat, you don't burn, it's a matter of measure. We put a few almonds and raisins at the bottom of the cup, and we warm our hands as much as our hearts. It's the drink that leads to the night of December tenth — the one, I admit, that changed my life.
- •Red wine — one bottle (base)
- •Cinnamon stick — a few pieces (spice)
- •Cardamom — a few crushed pods (signature flavor)
- •Clove — a pinch (spice)
- •Zest and sugar — to taste (sweetness and freshness)
- •Almonds and raisins — a handful (cup bottom garnish)
Glögg — spiced Nordic mulled wine
A red wine gently heated with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and orange zest, sweetened and spiced, served piping hot with almonds and raisins at the bottom of the cup.
Why this dish? Glögg warms the long winters of Lund, where night falls early and people gather around a hot, fragrant drink. It is also the Advent drink leading to December — the month of the Nobel Prize, awarded in Stockholm on December 10, which Anne L'Huillier received in 2023.
In December, in Lund, the day lasts almost nothing — so we make light indoors. I let the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves infuse in the wine without ever boiling it: you heat, you don't burn, it's a matter of measure. We put a few almonds and raisins at the bottom of the cup, and we warm our hands as much as our hearts. It's the drink that leads to the night of December tenth — the one, I admit, that changed my life.
Ingredients (period version)
- Red wine — one bottle (base)
- Cinnamon stick — a few pieces (spice)
- Cardamom — a few crushed pods (signature flavor)
- Clove — a pinch (spice)
- Zest and sugar — to taste (sweetness and freshness)
- Almonds and raisins — a handful (cup bottom garnish)
Ingredients
- Full-bodied red wine — 1 bottle (75 cl) (base)
- Sugar — 100 g (or more to taste) (sweetness)
- Cinnamon stick — 1 (spice)
- Crushed cardamom pods — 6 (signature flavor)
- Cloves — 5 (spice)
- Orange zest — 1 orange (freshness)
- Fresh ginger — a few slices (warmth)
- Blanched almonds and raisins — 2 tbsp each (garnish)
Method
- Pour wine into a saucepan with sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and orange zest.
- Heat very gently without ever boiling (stay around 70 °C), 20 to 30 min, to infuse spices.
- Taste and adjust sugar. Strain if you want a clear drink.
- Divide almonds and raisins among cups, pour hot glögg over them.
- Serve with a spoon to retrieve the plumped fruits and almonds.
How it was made : Glögg descends from the spiced heated wines of medieval Europe; its Swedish form was established in the 19th century as an Advent and Christmas drink. The tradition of adding almonds and raisins to the bottom of the cup is typically Nordic. (Enjoy in moderation, or in a non-alcoholic version based on grape juice and red berries.)
The contemporary twist : Serve a non-alcoholic version with grape juice and hibiscus for the whole table — and dimmed lighting, a tribute to the light pulses that earned the Nobel.
Sources : Swedish julbord traditions · nobelprize.org — ceremony and banquet of December 10
Anne L'Huillier · Charactorium
