Hot Cranberry Punch with Sage & Peppercorns
Adapted from TheKitchn.com; Recipe by Maria del Mar Sacasa, author of Winter Cocktails
This is the winter cocktail you’re waiting for: hot cranberry punch. It’s cranberries simmered with honey and a bottle of the driest (and inexpensive!) Riesling you can find, it’s sweet, herbal and a little spicy around the edges. Sage leaves give it a tonic aroma, and Benedictine — a classic liqueur with notes of sweet herbs and citrus — rounds it out. Its bright color and strong aroma perks up February! Perfect for after dinner to leave something warm in guests’ hands.
Serves 4 to 8.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 cups frozen or fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 (750-milliliter) bottle dry Riesling, divided
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
- 1 cup Benedictine liqueur
Method
- Place peppercorns in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add cranberries, honey, and 1 cup Riesling and simmer over medium heat until thick and syrupy and some of the liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes.
- Smash cranberries with a fork. Add the remaining wine and sage, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture, smashing the cranberries once more, then discard solids. (At this point the strained mixture can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
- To serve, add the Benedictine liqueur and warm over low heat until steaming. Serve in warm cups.
