Ponche Navideño

Main alochol is Light rum

An essential part of Christmas in Mexico, sweet, f...

• 300 ml - Light rum
• 355 ml - Piloncillo (Mexican-style unrefined brown sugar), grated (or 1 cup packed dark brown sugar)
• 2 - Cinnamon sticks
• 5 - Whole cloves
• 1 tbsp - Tamarind paste
• 2 - Tart apples, peeled, cored, finely chopped
• 1 - Ripe pear, peeled, cored, finely chopped
• 2 cup - Packed raisins or golden raisins
• 1 cup - Dried hibiscus flowers (also known as jamaica or sorrel), tied inside a square of cheesecloth
• - Juice of 1 lemon
• 10 cup - Water

In a large stockpot, add the water, piloncillo, cinnamon sticks, cloves and tamarind paste, and bring to a boil. Drop to a simmer, and stir to completely dissolve the tamarind paste. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the apples, pear, raisins and hibiscus flowers, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the fruit is soft and raisins are rehydrated. Squeeze the remaining liquid out of the cheesecloth packet and discard. Remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves and discard. Stir in the lemon juice and rum. Ladle the punch between 12 punch glasses, thinly slice 2 lemons, and garnish each glass with a slice.