Frederiks starkvinsglögg (Frederik's Strong Mulled Wine)

• Brännvin (Swedish spirit), for essence300 ml
• Whole cloves10 g
• Whole cardamom10 g
• Dried ginger10 g
• Cinnamon sticks10 g
• Vanilla bean0.5 piece
• Lemon zest (yellow part only)1 lemon
• Dried bitter orange peels5 piece
• Water0.75 l
• Granulated sugar800 g
• Red wine (light, not tannic)150 cl
• Brännvin (Swedish spirit)75 cl

METHOD

1. 01To make the essence, first find a large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
2. 02Pour 300 ml of brännvin into the jar.
3. 03Thoroughly crush the cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon sticks using a mortar and pestle.
4. 04Crush the dried ginger with the flat side of a knife.
5. 05Grate the zest from the lemon directly into the brännvin.
6. 06Add all the crushed spices, the vanilla bean, and the bitter orange peels to the jar.
7. 07Seal the jar and let it stand at room temperature for two weeks. Shake the jar once a day to help the flavors infuse.
8. 08After two weeks, filter the essence through a coffee filter into a clean bowl. This is a slow process and can take several hours.
9. 09Once filtered, squeeze the spices remaining in the filter to extract any last drops of liquid.
10. 10To make the sugar syrup, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan.
11. 11Gently heat the mixture, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
12. 12In a large container or bowl (at least 4.5 liters capacity), combine the filtered spice essence, the cooled sugar syrup, the red wine, and the remaining 75 cl of brännvin.
13. 13Stir well to combine. The glögg is now ready to be bottled or served.