Recipe for a delicious hot punch just like the ones served at Austrian punch stalls around Christmas time. This fruity punch contains tea, orange juice, spices, and a bit of sugar. Enjoy it spirited with rum or alcohol-free – both versions taste great.
3teabags blood orange tea (alternatively: hibiscus or black tea)
1cinnamon stick
4cloves
1star anise
1.5cups(360 ml) orange juice(best if freshly squeezed from 4-5 large oranges)
2tablespoons(30 g) white or brown sugar
1/4cup(60 ml) dark rum (38 %)
1/4cup(60 ml) Cointreau (alternatives: see notes)
For serving:
orange slices, star anise
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add tea bags, cinnamon, cloves and star anise. Turn off stove, cover, and let steep 10 minutes.
Discard tea bags. Add orange juice and sugar and bring back to a simmer.
Add rum and Cointreau. Carefully reheat but do not simmer since alcohol starts evaporating significantly at 172 °F (78 °C).
Taste and add more sugar if needed. If you would like to keep the beverage hot over a few hours, remove the spices since they can make the punch taste too intense or even turn it bitter when steeped for to long.
Serve hot with orange slices and a star anise. Enjoy!
Notes
Prepare in advance:Can be prepared 1 day ahead. After cooling, remove spices, cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before drinking.Substituting Cointreau:I love to use the orange liquor Cointreau in this recipe to enhance the orange flavor. You can use any other orange liquor (Triple Sec, Curaçao Liquor, Grand Marnier) too. Alternatively, simply use additional dark rum or Brandy and add a bit more sugar. For a non-alcoholic version, simply omit the rum and Cointreau.