Drinks
Punches, nogs, a potent Scandinavian Christmas glögg and hot chocolate and cocoa are just some of the drinks perfectly made in the microwave. You’ll also find instructions for heating milk, making safe drinks for drivers, a revival of egg nog with and without alcohol, and making your own gimmick-free Cappucino.
Grapefruit and Cider Punch
Serves 8–12
4 large grapefruit
1.25 litres/2¼ pts/5½ cups sweet cider
60 ml/4 tbsp granulated sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
4 maraschino cherries
90 ml/6 tsp maraschino syrup
Halve 3 of the grapefruit and squeeze out the juice. Put the juice in a large bowl with all the remaining ingredients. Cover with a plate and heat on Full for about 20 minutes, stirring twice, until bubbling. Meanwhile, peel the remaining grapefruit and cut the flesh into segments between the membranes. Ladle the punch into handled cups or mugs and add grapefruit segments to each.
Grapefruit and Apple Juice Punch
Serves 8–12
Prepare as for Grapefruit and Cider Punch, but substitute apple juice for the cider.
Grapefruit and Cranberry Punch
Serves 8–12
Prepare as for Grapefruit and Cider Punch, but substitute cranberry juice for the cider.
Ale and Cider Punch
Serves 8
A potent old English drink.
600 ml/1 pt/2½ cups pale ale
600 ml/1 pt/2½ cups cider
45 ml/3 tbsp black treacle (molasses)
5 ml/1 tsp ground ginger
2.5 ml/½ tsp grated nutmeg
1 wineglass whisky
Put all the ingredients except the whisky in a large bowl. Cover with a plate and heat on Full for 15 minutes until bubbling. Stir in the whisky and ladle into handled cups or mugs. Serve straight away.
Scandinavian Christmas Glögg
Serves 4–5
Pronounced ‘glerg’, this is an in- disputable tour de force, a punch like no other.
1 litre/1¾ pts/4¼ cups rosé or red wine
1 cinamon stick
5 whole cloves
Seeds from 5 cardamom pods
75 g/3 oz granulated sugar
Peel of ½ lemon, cut into strips
50 g/2 oz/½ cup blanched almonds, cut into strips
75 ml/5 tbsp raisins
1 liqueur glass brandy
Pour the wine into a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients except the brandy. Cover with a plate and heat through on Full for about 15–20 minutes, stirring four times, until hot and the sugar is dissolved. Add the brandy, ladle into handled cups or glasses and serve straight away.
Port Punch
Serves 6
A civilised punch for winter festivities.
450 ml/¾ pt/2 cups apple juice
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups freshly squeezed orange juice
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup ruby port
1 cinnamon stick
Put all the ingredients in a large bowl. Cover with a plate and heat on Full for 5–8 minutes until hot but not boiling. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir round and ladle into handled glasses, cups or mugs. Serve hot.
Swedish Christmas Punch
Serves 6–8
Beware! Julglogg, as it is known in its native country, is very strong.
1 bottle red wine
½ bottle vodka or Scandinavian or Dutch schnapps
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
Seeds from 3 cardamom pods
225 g/8 oz/1 cup granulated sugar
Peel of 1 large orange, cut into strips
Peel of 1 small lemon, cut into strips
60 ml/4 tbsp raisins
Pour the wine and vodka into a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients. Cover with a plate and heat through on Defrost for 25–30 minutes, stirring several times, until the sugar is dissolved. Ladle into handled cups or glasses and serve hot.
Heating Milk
Milk is easily heated in the microwave and runs less risk of boiling over than when warmed conventionally in a saucepan.
To warm: pour 300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups cold milk into a glass or pottery jug. Heat, uncovered, on Full for 1½–2 minutes.
To bring just to the boil: pour 300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups cold milk into a glass or pottery jug. Heat, uncovered, on Full for 2½–3 minutes.
Honey Milk
Serves 2
450 ml/¾ pt/2 cups milk
30 ml/2 tbsp clear honey
30 ml/2 tbsp double (heavy) cream
Ground cinnamon
Pour the milk into a glass or pottery jug and add the honey. Heat, uncovered, on Full for 4½–5½ minutes until hot. Pour into two handled mugs. Float the cream on to each by carefully and slowly pouring it over the back of a teaspoon into the cups. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Spicy Milk with Treacle
Serves 3–4
900 ml/1½ pts/3¾ cups milk
15 ml/1 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup
15 ml/1 tbsp black treacle (molasses)
4 ml/¾ tsp mixed (apple-pie) spice
Pour the milk into a 1.25 litre/2¼ pt/5½ cup jug or deep bowl. Add the syrup and treacle. Heat, uncovered, on Full for 8–9 minutes until hot but not boiling. Pour into handled cups, mugs or glasses and sprinkle with the mixed spice.
Milky Marshmallow Melts
Serves 3–4
A mocha milk drink that makes an acceptable parting shot for drivers at the end of an evening out.
900 ml/1½ pts/3¾ cup milk
30 ml/2 tbsp drinking chocolate
15 ml/1 tbsp instant coffee powder or granules
2.5 ml/½ tsp finely grated orange peel
6–8 marshmallows
Pour the milk into a 1.75 litre/3 pt/7½ cup deep bowl. Heat, uncovered, on Full for 8–9 minutes until hot but not boiling. Whisk in the drinking chocolate and coffee. Pour into handled cups, mugs or glasses and sprinkle with the orange peel. Float 2 marshmallows on top of each and drink as soon as they begin to melt.
Victorian Milk Punch
Serves 8
A nineteenth century speciality for the new Millennium.
1.25 litre/2¼ pts/5½ cups milk
30 ml/2 tbsp ground almonds
125 g/4 oz/½ cup caster (superfine) sugar
5 ml/1 tsp finely grated orange peel
2 egg whites
75 ml/5 tbsp dark rum
75 ml/5 tbsp whisky
Pour the milk into a 2 litre/3½ pt/8½ cup bowl. Heat, uncovered, on Full for 10–11 minutes until hot. Stir in the almonds, sugar and orange peel. Reheat, uncovered, on Full for 1½ minutes. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Stir the rum and whisky into the hot sweetened milk, then gently whisk in the beaten egg whites. When the milk mixture is light and foamy, pour into handled cups and serve while still fairly hot.
Egg Nog
Serves 1
1 egg, separated
15 ml/1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups milk
Beat the egg white until stiff. In a separate large bowl, beat together the egg yolk and sugar until thick and creamy. Pour the milk into a jug and heat, uncovered, on Full for 3–3½ minutes. Whisk gently into the beaten yolk and sugar, then fold in the egg white. Pour into a handled mug and drink while still foamy.
Brandy Nog
Serves 1
Prepare as for Egg Nog, but add 15–30 ml/1–2 tbsp brandy to the mixture just before the egg white is folded in. (Whisky, rum or sherry may be substituted if preferred.)
Cocoa
Serves 1
15–20 ml/3–4 tsp cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder or carob powder
200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup cold milk
Sugar
Put the cocoa or carob powder in a large cup or mug. Mix smoothly with 45 ml/3 tbsp of the milk. Whisk in the remaining milk. Heat, uncovered, for 1¾–2 minutes until hot or the cocoa just comes to the boil. Allow to stand for 45 seconds. Sweeten to taste.
Coffee with Milk
Serves 1
Prepare as for Cocoa, but substitute 5–10 ml/1–2 tsp instant coffee powder or granules for the cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder.
Hot Chocolate
Serves 1
Prepare as for Cocoa, but substitute drinking chocolate for the cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder.
Hot Chocolate Cream
Serves 1
Prepare as for Hot Chocolate. Top with 15–30 ml/1–2 tbsp softly whipped cream, then sprinkle with a crushed flake bar or grated chocolate.
Hot Liqueur Chocolate
Serves 1
Prepare as for Hot Chocolate, but mix in 15–30 ml/1–2 tbsp liqueur to taste. Leave plain or top with cream and chocolate.
Mock Cappucino
Serves 1
Fill a fairly large cup or mug with cold strong coffee. Add 15–20 ml/3–4 tsp milk powder (non-fat dry milk) mixed smoothly with 10 ml/2 tsp cold water. Heat, uncovered, on Full for 1½ minutes until hot and foamy. Allow to stand for 25 seconds. Sweeten if liked, then sprinkle with cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder or grated chocolate.
Reheating Leftover Coffee
Because of the speed of the microwave, there is no stale flavour when cold coffee is reheated. Pour into cups and heat one at a time, uncovered, on Full for about 1 minute. Sweeten if liked and add milk or cream to taste.