Guava Ponche with Sweet Vermouth

Be the first to rate & review!

Ponche Navideño is a Christmastime spiced tropical fruit punch that's served warm with a shot of tequila in Mexico. Paola Briseño González's chilled riff on this holiday classic pays homage to her love of vermouth. Light and fragrant with perfectly balanced bitterness, it's refreshing and bright thanks to hibiscus, guava, apples, and mint.

By
Paola Briseño González
Paola Briseno Gonzalez
Paola Briseño González

Paola is a cooking writer and avid cook who wrote her very first recipe for a key lime cookie pie at age six. She is a proud Pata Salada— that’s Mexican coastal surf speak for a native of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Her cooking is a reflection of her coastal roots and is fueled by her background in food anthropology. Her recipes have appeared in L.A. Times, Epicurious, The Food Network, Milk Street Kitchen and others. She lives in Long Beach, California with her husband, a punk rock writer and taco editor, and their two Old English Sheepdogs, Fig and Crema.

Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines
Updated on August 2, 2023
Tested by
Food & Wine Test Kitchen
Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen
Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time.
Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
Guava Ponche with Sweet Vermouth
Photo: DYLAN + JENI
Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 35 mins
Servings:
8

Ingredients

  • 6 medium-size ripe yellow guavas, unpeeled, stemmed, and halved

  • 3 cups water

  • 1 ounce edible dried hibiscus flowers (about 1 cup)

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 (2-inch) cinnamon sticks

  • 1 cup (8 ounces) sweet red vermouth (such as Bèrto)

  • 1 small Granny Smith apple, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus lemon slices, for garnish

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 cup (2 ounces) Fernet-Vallet or Fernet-Branca (optional)

  • Topo Chico, for serving

  • Mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

  1. Combine guavas, 3 cups water, hibiscus flowers, sugar, and cinnamon sticks in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until guavas are slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Proceed immediately to step 2, or, for a more intense guava flavor, transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

  2. Pour guava mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl. Using the back of a spoon, lightly mash guava mixture to release all of the juices; discard solids.

  3. Stir together guava mixture, vermouth, apple, lemon juice, salt, and, if desired, Fernet in an ice-filled pitcher or bowl. Garnish with lemon slices. Serve in chilled cocktail glasses. Top each glass with a splash of Topo Chico, and garnish with mint.

Notes

Dried hibiscus flowers can be purchased at Mexican grocery stores or online.

Related Articles

Rum and Orange Cocktail
Rum and Orange Cocktail
5 mins
22 Punch
22 Punch
13 hrs 15 mins
Dream Catcher
Dream Catcher
5 mins
Card Placeholder Image
Guava Mai Tai
Wine Punch with Melon Ice Cubes
Wine Punch with Melon Ice Cubes
15 mins
Sweet Lime-Ginger Rum Punch
Sweet Lime-Ginger Rum Punch
30 mins
Card Placeholder Image
Duls Cocktail
Riesling Sangria with Lychees
Riesling Sangria with Lychees
20 mins
Maybelle Punch
Maybelle Punch
15 mins
Fresh and Easy Piña Coladas
Piña Colada
40 mins
Card Placeholder Image
Royal Fruit Cup
Sour Cherry Negroni Cocktail Recipe
13 Sweet Vermouth Cocktails for the Negroni Fan
Punch Parker
Punch Parker
20 mins
Card Placeholder Image
Punch Royal
Card Placeholder Image
Perfect Mark
Card Placeholder Image
Barela No. 2
5 mins