The Best Eggnog

UPDATE 2017: I've modified this a bit from the original post to make it simpler, a bit richer and more foolproof.

Eggnog is just a custard... and a really simple custard at that!

Usually I find eggnog overly sweet and bland. This recipe turns out well balanced and spiced.

This serves 6

Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

• 4C / 1 quart half and half
• 2t of vanilla (make your own)
• 1t nutmeg
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks (or 1t)
• 1C gold rum or brandy or tequila
• 6 eggs (pasteurize them)
• 1/2C sugar or honey
• 1t cream of tarter (1T if using pasteurized eggs)

Instructions

1. Add half and half, nutmeg and cinnamon into a medium stockpot and stir to combine.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring now and then. Remove from heat and allow spices to steep.
3. Separate eggs.
4. Whisk the yolks a bit by hand or with your immersion blender. Use a bowl that is small enough to whisk well, but also with high enough sides to avoid getting yolk all over! Whisk until lighter in color and thickened. You should be able to see the folds of the yolks stay after you stop whisking.
5. Whisk sugar into yolks until dissolved.
6. Whisk the cream mixture into the yolks. You'll want a container at least 4 quarts, which is probably larger than you used to initially whisk the yolks.
7. Add the liquor and vanilla
8. Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they are at stiff peaks. Don't over whisk them, err on the side of soft peaks if you are not sure.
9. Hand whisk the egg whites into the custard mixture.
10. Refrigerate either in a single container or in serving glasses
11. Stir the mixture before serving and garnish with freshly ground nutmeg or cinnamon using your microplane

A quick reminder about eggs

I probably should add that if you decide to eat raw or undercooked eggs of any sort (ours included) you're taking a risk of getting salmonella or another no-fun inoculation. I always check to ensure the egg has no cracks before using raw eggs. You can do this by taking the eggs to a dark room and putting up a flashlight (or even the light on your phone). We always check for cracks when we package them, but they can crack in transport.... cracked eggs should never be eaten raw or undercooked.

Better yet -- if you have a sous vide machine, follow these simple instructions to fully pasteurize your eggs before using in any recipe like this

Note: I made this video before updating the recipe, so it uses cream and milk instead of half and half. It also doesn't have the cream of tarter.