Eggnog

Name: Eggnog
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 6 fresh egg yolks; 1 cup confectioners’ sugar; 2 cups good quality bourbon; 1 cup cream; 1 1/2 cups milk; 6 fresh egg whites; Pinch sea salt; 1 nutmeg

By Amanda Hesser

Total Time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour's refrigeration
Rating: 4(474)
Comments: Read comments

Homemade eggnog is simple, a recipe for novices, as long as they can whisk. Where many eggnogs go wrong is that they rely more on cream than on alcohol. It’s not a liquid dessert. It’s a drink, whose coarse edges are muted with cream and eggs. “The Joy of Cooking” has a recipe that hits all the right points, some of them in excess. Made as is, the drinker is apt to experience a brief moment of jolly followed by blacking out. For my adaptation, I cut some of the cream with milk and cut back on the alcohol just a touch so one could finish a glass while still holding onto it.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

6fresh egg yolks
1cup confectioners’ sugar
2cups good quality bourbon
1cup cream
1½cups milk
6fresh egg whites
Pinch sea salt
1nutmeg

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In an electric mixer or by hand, whisk together egg yolks and ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar until light, dense, and mixture forms a ribbon trail when whisk is lifted. While whisking, very slowly add 1 cup bourbon. Cover this mixture, and refrigerate for one hour.
Step 2
Whisk in remaining bourbon, then beat in cream and milk. Add ½ cup more milk if it is too thick. In another bowl, whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt, until fluffy. Slowly add remaining confectioners’ sugar while whisking; keep whisking until whites are shiny and hold firm but not stiff peaks. Fold egg whites into egg yolk mixture.
Step 3
To serve, ladle eggnog into small cups — demitasse cups would work well — making sure to get some foam on each. Grate a little nutmeg on top of each.

Ratings

4 out of 5

474 user ratings

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Comments

Nancy7 years ago

I love eggnog but worry about raw eggs, too. So: Whisk together a quart of softened Haagen Daz vanilla ice cream, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste, and a half cup of heavy cream or whipped cream. Add brandy or bourbon. Delicious, with no worries! (I make a single serving sometimes just for myself.)

George6 years ago

Serve in demitasse cups? Ridiculous. You've waited all year; serve in Old Fashioned glasses or larger. My family recipe is similar except we use equal parts heavy cream and milk, add a dollop of dark rum in addition to the bourbon, and we make it two weeks ahead of time to let the flavors ripen. Generations later we're all still standing.

odessa7 years ago

In response to NSClark I assume that the salmonella doesn't not survive the exposure to the bourbon (or other alcohol) since alcohol is used as a topical antiseptic. If you are concerned you should probably use the higher percentage bourbon :)

LizS2 years ago

This is ridiculously good. I made it with bourbon and a bit of cointreau, and it's just so foamy and light and flavorful.

Francesca3 years ago

I'm used to the Joy of Cooking recipe so I was a little grumpy making this, didn't have enough powdered sugar, slightly different procedure. But it turned out fine. And none of my guests complained.

Vicki3 years ago

Final bit was 3/4 c cognac. So delicious!

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