Sip on this: full-flavoured warm drinks

These delicious warm drinks are sure to steal the meal's spotlight next time you host guests.

Make this post-meal drink at your next dinner party and your guests will rave. Brandy and triple-sec are set ablaze to flavour spice-infused hot coffee.

Preparation time 15 minutes 

Cooking time 5 minutes 

Serves 8

• 4 whole allspice berries
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken
• Zest from 2 large oranges, slivered, divided
• Zest from 1/2 large lemon, slivered
• 50 ml (8 tsp) sugar
• 1 L (4 c) hot strong coffee, divided
• 125 ml (1/2 c) brandy
• 50 ml (1/4 c) triple sec, Grand Marnier or other orange-flavoured liqueur

1. Make a spice bag by placing the allspice, cloves and cinnamon pieces in the centre of a small piece of cheesecloth or a clean coffee filter. Bring up the edges and tie securely with cotton string. Set aside eight slivers of the orange zest.
2. In a medium pot, combine the remaining orange zest with the lemon zest, sugar and spice bag. Stir in 250 millilitres (one cup) of the coffee, plus the brandy and orange liqueur.
3. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat for five minutes, stirring and mashing the zest and sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot. Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the spice bag and zest. Light a wooden match, then standing with your body away from the coffee mixture, carefully ignite. Pour the remaining three cups of coffee into the ignited mixture.
4. Ladle into demitasse cups and add the reserved orange zest.

Scrape the seeds from a vanilla bean and add to the spice bag. You can also add 75 millilitres (1/3 cup) bittersweet chocolate for a mocha flavour. Add the chocolate along with the brandy and stir until melted.

Mulled cider always turns up on holiday menus. Why not mull a different fruit juice? Pineapple juice makes a fantastic warm punch, especially when spiced with fresh ginger and a few black peppercorns for extra zing.

Preparation time 5 minutes 

Cooking time 45 minutes 

Serves 4

• 250 ml (1 c) sliced fresh ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 8 whole cloves
• 8 black peppercorns
• 1 L (4 c) pineapple juice
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) honey1. Make a spice bag by placing the ginger, cinnamon pieces, cloves and peppercorns in the centre of a small piece of cheesecloth or a clean coffee filter. Bring up the edges and tie securely with cotton string.
  2. Combine the pineapple juice and honey in a medium pot and add the spice bag. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Remove and discard the spice bag. Serve warm ladled into mugs.

Add a seeded, deveined, sliced jalapeño pepper (wear gloves when ­handling) to the spice bag.