Cooks Note Warming A Punch Bowl Food

HOT RUM PUNCH

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest of 2 lemons and the tangerine in strips. Drop into a large heatproof bowl (or use a fireproof bowl if you plan to set the punch on fire) and combine with sugar. Muddle together with a muddler, pestle or the back of a wooden spoon. Let mixture sit for at least 3 hours to infuse (or infuse overnight).
• Halve the tangerine and squeeze juice into a measuring cup. Halve lemons and squeeze lemon juice into the measuring cup to make 3/4 cup juice in total. (Save any unsqueezed lemon halves for another purpose.)
• When ready to serve, bring 1 quart water to a boil. Pour rum and cognac into the bowl with the sugar and peels. If you want to flame the punch, do so now; see note below.
• Add reserved citrus juice and boiling water and stir well. Grate nutmeg over top of punch and ladle into glasses.

EGG NOG

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat 2 cups milk but don't boil. Turn off the heat.
• In a mixing bowl, gradually add the sugar into the egg yolks and whisk until thick and pale.
• Whisk 1 cup of the warm milk into the yolk-sugar mixture. Add this back to the milk in the pan, stirring over low heat until thickened and blended. Turn off the heat and quickly stir in the cream.
• Place pan in a large bowl half-filled with ice water. Stir occasionally, until chilled. When chilled, stir into punch bowl and add rum and remaining milk.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Then fold them into the nog. Top each serving with grated nutmeg. Serves 8.

CHAMPAGNE PUNCH WITH GINGER, LEMON, AND SAGE

Steps:

• Make the ice ring: Arrange lemon slices and sage in bottom of Bundt pan and fill with cold water, leaving about 1" of space at the top. Freeze until set, at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
• Make the punch: Muddle lemon zest, sage, and sugar in a measuring cup with a pour spout until sugar starts to turn green. Add 2 cups warm water and stir until sugar is dissolved, then let sit 10 minutes to infuse.
• Stir in lemon juice, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large punch bowl. Stir in gin and ginger liqueur.
• Just before serving, dip bottom of Bundt pan into a bowl of hot water. Place a plate over mold, invert ice ring onto plate, then transfer to punch bowl. Pour in sparkling water and wine and stir gently.
• Do Ahead
• Punch, without sparkling water and wine, can be made 2 days ahead; transfer to an airtight container and chill.

WASSAIL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place apples in a 9-by-9-inch glass baking dish. Spoon light and dark brown sugar into center of each apple, dividing sugar evenly among them. Pour 1 cup water into bottom of dish and bake until tender, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, pour Madeira, ale and English and apple ciders into a large slow cooker or heavy pot. Place cloves, allspice, cinnamon and orange peel into cheesecloth, tie shut with kitchen twine and add to slow cooker or pot along with ginger and nutmeg. Set slow cooker to medium, or place pot over low heat. Gently simmer for about 1 hour, while apples bake, or longer if desired.
• Add liquid from the baking dish and stir to combine. Using tongs, transfer apples into slow cooker or pot to garnish. Reduce heat. Ladle hot wassail into heatproof cups to serve.

COOK'S NOTE: WARMING A PUNCH BOWL

Steps:

• Before filling a punch bowl with a hot beverage, "temper" the bowl by filling it with hot tap water. Let it stand for about 10 minutes. Drain when you are ready to transfer the hot punch to the warm bowl.Tempering serves two purposes: it minimizes the risk of stress cracks from a hot liquid hitting cold glass, and it keeps the punch warm a bit longer.You can temper teapots, coffee pots and mugs in the same way.