Mexican Christmas Punch Ponche Navideno Food

PONCHE NAVIDEñO

Steps:

• Place water in a large stockpot.
• Add the piloncillo (or brown sugar) and cinnamon to cook for about 15 minutes. If you are using fresh Tejocotes, add them with the piloncillo and cinnamon, since they take longer to soften. Ponche Navideno
• Add the chopped guavas, apples, and prunes along with the rest of the ingredients like the sugar cane sticks, tamarind pods or hibiscus flowers. If you are using the canned version of the tejocotes, then add them in this step.
• Simmer for about 1 hour. Serve hot in mugs, ladling in some of the fruit and adding rum to your liking.

MEXICAN CHRISTMAS PUNCH (PONCHE NAVIDENO)

Steps:

• Stud each orange with 6 whole cloves, using the pointed ends of the cloves to pierce the skin. Cut oranges into wedges. Reserve 12 wedges for garnish. Cut some slits into each hawthorn.
• Bring water, hibiscus petals, and cinnamon sticks to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until water is a deep pink color, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove hibiscus petals but leave cinnamon sticks in the water to infuse further. Stir in orange wedges, hawthorns, apples, sugar cane, pear, and brown sugar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes.
• Ladle the punch into 12 mugs, making sure each mug gets some slices of fruit. Add 1 fluid ounce rum to each mug to give the punch an extra kick. Garnish mugs with reserved orange slices.