Christmas is coming and I am very excited about going to Mexico. My husband and I are looking forward to eating all sorts of delicious food that we have missed like tacos al pastor, cochinita, tiritas de pescado and some delicious mole. There is one thing on my list that I can only get during Christmas and I am very much looking forward to it: Ponche de Frutas Navideño!

Photo taken by Protoplasma K found on Flickr.com with license CC BY-SA 2.0

Ponche Navideño is basically a warm fruit punch made with lots of delicious fruits and natural sweeteners. Most families celebrate the posadas that start on December 12 with a variety of traditional dishes and the ponche is always around. This traditional drink is usually made in a clay plot and at a low fire.

Some of the ingredients that are usually used for the ponche are canela (cinnamon), tamarindo, flor de jamaica (hibiscus flower), piloncillo and sugar cane. Like all good recipes, you can choose the fruits and sweetener you like and make it your own. Below is a recipe for Ponche Navideño Mexican style. Feel free to substitute or add any other fruits you thought might taste good, and, of course, you can add a bit of tequila, rum or another spirit to give it an extra kick!

Receta para Ponche Navideño

Photo taken by Tara Schmidt found on Flickr.com with license CC BY 2.0

Ingredientes

4 litros de agua
1 cono de pilloncillo (also known as panela) or azúcar morena
4 palitos de canela
500 gramos de tejocotes frescos (a variety of wild apples) 
750 gramos de guayabas
1.5 tazas de manzana picada
1 taza de pera picada
2 pedazos de caña de azúcar 

Elaboración

1. Coloque agua en una olla grande (de preferencia de barro)
2. Agrega el piloncillo y la canela y cocina por 15 minutos. Si estás usando tejocotes frescos, agregalos en este momento. 
3. Agrega el resto de los ingredientes.
4. Deja todo cocinar a fuego bajo por 1 hora aproximadamente. 
5. Sirva caliente, de preferencia en una taza de barro, y agregue el ron o tequila al servir.

Comments

As you can see, the recipe is very easy and straightforward. If you do not find fresh tejocotes, you can look for the canned variety and add them in step 3 since they will already be soft. You can also add naranjas for a more citrus flavor and raisins for more texture. Make sure you slice the fruit small enough to fit your cups.

If you can easily find Mexican food at your local grocer, you can look for a can with all the ponche ingredients. the instructions might vary per brand, but you usually just mix it with water, warm it up and it’s ready.

The recipe I included is enough for about 12 portions, but if you are going to throw a big Christmas party and want to follow a recipe for 40, the video below is for you.

What are some typical recipes from your country during this season? Do you have something similar to the ponche in your country?