When you are given the opportunity to soak a sugar cone in 151 proof rum and then light it on fire, you do not object! That is, unless you are afraid of fire and flames! But I am the type of person who enjoys a little adventure, as long as some safety precautions are put in place, and maybe a fire extinguisher is close at hand…!
But what the heck am I talking about? Well, let’s talk about the Feuerzangenbowle. Loose translation: fire punch (fire tongs punch)! Oftentimes a part of New Year’s Eve celebrations or Christmas gatherings, Feuerzangenbowle is a traditional German alcoholic drink for which a rum-soaked sugarloaf is set on fire and drips into mulled wine.
Please be sure if you do prepare this, that you use the correct fire-proof punch bowl, tongs and take safety precautions! We did a little improvisation with our “punch bowl”, however, we had precautions in place and took care of how we proceeded with this recipe.
To further enhance this experience, we did create a video for you!
Feuerzangenbowle Recipe (from GermanDeli.com)
Ingredients:
- 2 Bottles of Merlot or Burgundy win (a dry red white might be too bitter)
- 4 thin slices of orange
- 4 thin slices of lemon
- Juice of 2 fresh oranges
- Juice of 2 fresh lemons
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh orange rind
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon rind
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 sugar cone a.k.a. Zuckerhut, or sugar-loaf
- 1 cup (approximately) of Rum (must be 151 proof rum or it won’t flame)
Equipment Needed:
- 1 heat and flame-proof punch bowl (ideally glass)
- 1 stainless steel bridge, if not already part of your punch bowl set
- Long match or lighter
Directions:
- In a large pot add both bottles of wine and all the ingredients except the sugar cone and the rum.
- Simmer the wine and fruit and spices over low heat for about 15 minutes. DO NOT BOIL the wine. Wine should be hot, but not scalding.
- IF you are using flame/heat-proof glass punch bowl, carefully add the hot wine (with fruit, cinnamon, etc.) to the punch bowl.
- As guests gather around, place punch bowl or pot in a dimly lit room. Light the candle below the punch bowl to help keep the wine warm.
- IF you are NOT using the punchbowl, leave the pot on the stove on low heat.
- Place the stainless steel bridge across the top of punch bowl or pot.
- Unwrap the sugar cone and place it on the bridge. Slowly pour the 151-proof rum onto the cone, rotating the cone until it is soaked with the rum.
- Light the sugar cone with a match or lighter. The sugar cone will dissolve as the burning rum heats up the cone. The carmelized sugar will drop into the punch to sweeten it and the rum will enhance the flavor.
And that is the basic recipe and preparation for this fun and toasty tradition! This recipe was taken from our friends at GermanDeli.com. We love the video GermanDeli.com has made, and we thought we would try it ourselves in our own unique way! Thank you for being inspiration!
It was my mother’s 70th birthday celebration and we enjoyed creating this fun and festive vibe for her. Although she had Latvian parents, my mother was born in Nürnberg, Germany. We thought it would be fitting to have a little German tradition for her this evening!
All Things Gourmet 