Kids’ punch from the Thermomix® is our go-to solution for every Christmas market visit with children. We have been making it at home for years, because the ready-made punch stalls are usually far too sweet and often consist of nothing but nectar. Our recipe uses 100% juice and needs no added sugar.
We add the spices whole, as sticks and stars, directly into the mixing bowl. Not ground, not chopped. After 25 minutes they have released their aroma into the juice without the punch turning bitter or grainy. A fine sieve when pouring catches all the spice residue.
Fruity Kids' Punch with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 6 ✓
- 1000 g apple juice
- 500 g grape juice
- 500 g orange juice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 cloves
- 4 star anise
Instructions 0 / 3
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1
Simmer the kids' punch.
Add all ingredients to the mixing bowl and simmer for 25 minutes / 98 °C / speed 1.
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2
Strain the punch.
Pour the punch through a fine sieve into cups.
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3
Serve.
Garnish with fruit and spices as desired.
Tip: If you would like to garnish your kids' punch with fruit, make sure you use untreated organic fruit.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why three juices instead of one
Apple juice alone would be too flat. Orange juice alone too sharp. Grape juice alone too dominant. The combination of all three builds a well-rounded flavour profile in which no single fruit takes over. The proportions are deliberate: 1000 g apple juice as the base, 500 g grape juice for depth, 500 g orange juice for freshness. We adjusted the ratio several times until it worked for children between 3 and 10 years old.
All three juices should be 100% direct juice, not nectar. Nectar contains added sugar and dilutes the fruit flavour. The difference is noticeable with the very first sip.
98 °C is the upper limit
We cook the punch at 98 °C, not at 100 °C. This prevents the fruit acids from oxidising too strongly and the juice from taking on a metallic taste. At 98 °C the spices still infuse fully, but the juice stays fruity. The cooking time of 25 minutes at speed 1 gives the spices enough time without the juice reducing or caramelising.
Reverse direction is not needed here. The liquid is only gently moved, not chopped. Speed 1 is sufficient to distribute the spices through the juice and keep the temperature steady.
Discard the spices after straining
After 25 minutes, the cinnamon sticks, cloves and star anise have given up all their aroma. A second use will add nothing. The spent spices taste exhausted and would only release bitter compounds if cooked again. That is why we strain and discard them immediately after the first run.
A fine sieve or tea strainer is all you need. No cloth required, as the spice pieces are large enough to be caught by the sieve. If you reheat the punch later, do not add fresh spices. The aroma is already in the juice.
Measure the star anise carefully, do not double it
Star anise is the most powerful spice in this punch. Four whole stars are more than enough for 2 litres of liquid. More star anise makes the punch taste of liquorice and masks the other spices. We started with 6 stars and had to pour the batch away because it tasted of nothing but anise.
Cloves are less critical. Six pieces add a warm depth without becoming sharp. Cinnamon sticks provide the base note and can be increased by one if you prefer a stronger cinnamon flavour. But never go beyond four stars of star anise.
Serving and garnishing
We serve the kids’ punch directly from the mixing bowl into cups. The punch stays warm at speed 1 and 60 °C without continuing to cook. A cinnamon stick as decoration in the cup looks great but no longer releases any additional aroma. Orange slices as garnish only work if they are untreated and organic. Conventionally grown oranges with their peel in the hot punch can release wax residues.
Goes well with: Cinnamon stars, gingerbread and speculoos.
Also worth a try: Chocolate punch with the Thermomix®.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for three days and can be drunk cold or warm. When reheating, 5 minutes at 80 °C is enough. Do not boil again, or the juice will turn bitter.
