Fluffy, creamy, light as air and bursting with nutmeg-gy goodness, oh, Eggnog and I most definitely have a love affair. Nothing brings about the holidays and all that is merry quite like a mug of its creamy delight.  It is almost a requirement for this time of year and the uses in my house are limitless.   Take cream in your coffee?  Use Eggnog to take your coffee from every-day to holiday!  Want to take your pumpkin pie to the next level?  Make your own evaporated Eggnog to replace that canned, evaporated store-bought milk.  Need a perfect holiday dessert?  Turn that Eggnog into ice cream and you will be in heaven! Now you can go out and purchase Eggnog at your grocery store but I swear, if you make it from scratch once, you will never go back.  Also, it’s so simple you will be shocked that you haven’t made it from scratch before!  So grab a carton of eggs and take a few moments to make this decadent holiday drink from scratch.  Your holiday just may never be the same.

This is traditional eggnog, the kind that your grandma used to make and pour into her huge crystal punch bowl, set out next to her aluminum tree with tinsel and twinkle lights aglow.  There are of course, many recipes online for cooked eggnog that you should consume if you are a child, pregnant or have a compromised immune system.  So do search out those recipes if you are any of the above, if not, enjoy this fresh liquored up kind.  Oh and please, for the love of everything holy this holiday season, do not, I repeat, DO NOT use store bought ground nutmeg.  If I give you one gift this holiday season let it be the gift of freshly grated nutmeg.  Try it, you’ll know instantly what I am talking about.  The first moment you rub that whole nut across your zester or mini grater you will smell the difference and your holiday nog will be the stuff of legend.   Oh! Also, if you are trying to decide between rum or brandy for your nog why not choose both! I love White Christmas, it’s inexpensive and gives just that perfect balance to your Eggnog.

You will need

• 2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 cup rum, brandy or a mixture of the two
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated eggnog

How To

• Place egg yolks and sugar in a stand mixer and beat until eggs are creamy and light in color
• Add cream, milk and liquor
• Pour mixture into a bowl and set aside
• Clean out your mixer and add in egg white
• Whip until soft peaks form
• Fold into yolk, milk and liquor mixture
• Top with nutmeg, drink, breathe and enjoy

To a grand holiday for all,

Marcella Rose