DIRECTIONS
SUGAR FREE SANGRIA NOTE: Although this recipe calls for a syrup - many sangria purist believe sangria should be sweetened by the process of marinating the fruits,
and no sugar should be added - hence the term true sangria. *So if you like to keep it sugar free - go ahead!
Prepare Sangria Syrup by boiling water and cane sugar together with the cinnamon stick, one thin slice of lime, and one thin slice of lemon.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer until mixture becomes thick. Keep on heat no longer than 7 min). Stick in the freezer to accelerate cooling as you prepare other ingredients for the Sangria.
*If you don't want to use sugar - just boil the cinnamon stick until moist and use in the recipe as directed.
Add slices of citrus fruits to bottom of pitcher. Oranges first, lemons, limes - creating a thick bottom layer of slices.
Kind of gently mash/bruise these fruit slices with a wooden spoon so that the juices of the fruits are released.
Slice Bannana in 1-inch chunks. Try to keep the bannana clean you dont want it mushing up in the sangria, that will make it cloudy and dirty - and is not attractive.
A lot of people might smirk at the suggestion of using Banannas in Sangria.
But this is one of our family practices that we are happy to share.
Add red apple chopped into 1/4 neat inch rectangles. Add green apple sliced and last add the remaining orange wedges - more for garnish to
float around like you usually see in a Sangria pitcher.
Pour cooled syrup / or cinnamon water over the fruits in the pitcher.
Hold on to the cinnamon stick for the end of the recipe.
Add orange juice, stir a bit, and let sit in the fridge covered with saran wrap for about 30 min.
Add wine, up to the top of the pitcher.
You might not be able to add both bottles depending on how big your pitcher is.
But add as much as you can. You can always add the rest of the wine once you start drinking the sangria.
Mix well, trying not to distrub the bottom layer of fruit - or the banannas.
Finally, you want to add the cinnamon stick to the mix but you dont want it to sink to the bottom because you want to remove shortly after the mix is marinating -
without disturbing the rest of the mix. And well you don't want to stick you hand in the pitcher digging around for it.
So take a thick slice of the red apple and kind of drill the cinnamon stick into the apple so it doesnt come out. Dont push it all the way through, or it will break -
just enough so it is secure. Then place the apple and stick on top of the mix so that the stick is submerged. But you dont loose the apple. If you have enough fruit in there - this shouldnt be a problem.
Cover with saran wrap and chill for 2 hours.
Remove cinamon stick attached to the apple, stir a bit.
It is important to remove the cinamon stick at this time, because leaving it in any longer will make the Sangria very spicy.
Some people like this, but most do not - so pay attention to your cinnamon stick!
This next part is a bit tricky but it is the essence of making True Sangria.
Keep in mind your blending these fruits to create a flavor.
You are marinating the wine.
At this point you want to drain the sangria and seperate it from the fruit.
Put the sangria back in the pitcher and add back select fruits.
Reserve the remaining fruit in a bowl in the fridge - you will use it later.
Don't add the red apples as their hard skin makes a woody taste if left in too long.
Do add about 1/2 of the green apple,
3 slices of lime,
3 slices of lemons,
The orange wedges, and a few of the large chunks of bananna - appx half the banana.
Cover Sangria again and chill for about 5 hours.
Seperate the fruit from the Sangria again - wash the pitcher and put the Sangria back into the pitcher.
Garnish with reserved fruit and fresh fruit if you like.
Do not add the banana. You are creating the presentation at this point so you want it to be clean and colorful.
Mix and taste.
The taste at this point should be sweet and thick.
Almost like a tasty liquor.
The longer you leave it in - the thicker it becomes.
If you like you can add orange juice or brandy to taste.
Since this taste is thick you want to serve it over thick chunks of ice.
Looks nice in large goblet type wine glasses.
Garnish with citrus slices as desired.
A nice pineapple chunk always makes a good sangria presentation - even though we don't use it in the recipe.
Enjoy yet another'Sangria-Sangria' Sangria!
Feel free to email us with any questions.
