‘Kinderpunsch’ as it is called in native German, is an alcohol-free drink meant for kids and adults alike. Kinderpunsch is a combination of German Früchtetee (or Fruit tea in English) and fruit extracts. Whereas the commonly used fruit tea in Germany is the Hibiscus tea, apple and orange comprise the fruit extracts. The red coloured sweet n sour drink with a dash of spices, when served hot, gives a heavenly feel. There is a very unique signature to its taste too. This is a very special drink served in Germany, during Christmas. Tried once at the Weihnachtsmarkt, is now a daily drink back home, this winter!!!
Total time: 25 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Preparation time: 5 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Orange juice: 1 cup
Apple juice: 1 cup
Water: 1 cup
Cinnamon sticks: 1-inch stick
Cloves: 3
Cardamom: 3
Fruit tea bags: 5 (or you can use 5 tbsp. of the fruit tea powder)
Honey: As sweetener (as per taste) (I used about 5 tsp.)
Method:
Quick Video recipe :
- Place all the ingredients in a heating pot except the tea bags and honey and bring it to boil. Reduce the heat, close with a lid and continue heating in low flame for another 5 minutes
- Add the tea bags and continue to heat in simmer for about 10 minutes. Close with a lid while heating
- Switch off the heat. Add honey and stir it. Remove the tea bags and the spices. Serve it hot. You may optionally add orange or lemon slices for garnishing and taste.
Note :
- I have used cardamom here, just to bring in some unique flavour to this drink. You may use anise instead.
- To the hot drink, you may, additionally add few cinnamon sticks, orange peel, to bring in the strong flavour, but this is purely optional
Kinderpunsch stories:
The topic arose in one of my conversations with a friend in Stuttgart, on how excited I was to visit the Christmas market of Esslingen, of which, I had heard a lot, but had not been even once. For which she said that it is indeed very beautiful and that I must taste Glühwein here if I don’t mind tasting alcohol. Glühwein din’t ring the bell, as I don’t consume alcohol. In any case, I was excited sheerly at the prospects of seeing the vibrance, and the resplendence of the market. She said, never mind, there is one interesting non-alcoholic drink there, offered for the kids and those who don’t consume alcohol, called Kinderpunsch.
Now I was all too curious to try it. I did try it at the Esslingen market and simply loved the taste. Back home, I was wondering, what could the ingredients be. It was sweet, was sure of honey in it and it had the citrus tinge to it, obviously pointing to the presence of orange juice. It was bright red colour in colour and out of curiosity, checked with a friend of mine for the recipe. The bright red colour is imparted by Früchtetee, as also in this case, with the widely used type being the Hibiscus tea. Along with Früchtetee, orange and apple extract / juice are used along with few spices like cinnamon, cloves and anise. I used cardamom here instead of anise to try out a different taste.
The recipe can differ from person to person, based on the liking and preference. You may even use juices or extracts of other fruits too. I opted to keep it simple with just the apple and orange juices with the Früchtetee and the spices. I also included honey in the end, to impart sweetness. While serving it hot in a mug or a glass, you may add some slices of orange or lemon. It tastes heavenly!
Leave a Reply