Makes about 1½ quarts

• 2. cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
• 1 tsp. cardamom pods
• 1 small piece ginger, peeled
• Zest of ½ orange
• 6 whole cloves
• ½ cup vodka
• 1 750-ml bottle dry red wine
• 1cup ruby port or Madeira
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla sugar
• ½ blanched whole almonds
• ½. cup dark raisins

Preparation

Step 1

Crush cinnamon and cardamom in a mortar and pestle (or put them on a cutting board and crush with the bottom of a heavy pot.) Transfer to a small glass jar and add ginger, orange zest, cloves, and vodka. Let sit 1 day.

Step 2

Strain vodka through a fine-mesh sieve into a large saucepan; discard spices. Add wine, port, granulated sugar, vanilla sugar, almonds, and raisins and heat over medium just until bubbles start to form around the edges.

Step 3

Ladle glögg into mugs, with a few almonds and raisins in each one. Keep any remaining glögg warm over very low heat until ready to serve (do not let it boil).