Eggnog

Like many Brits I have often seen this Christmas drink mentioned in American TV shows and assumed it was just like advocaat but having made it today for the first time I can assure you that it is so much better than the sickly yellow gloop your parents used to buy.  Why did I make it?  Well the Brown Eyed Baker posted a recipe for Eggnog Bundt Cake with rum icing that I fancy making for Christmas this year and of course it requires eggnog.  Tesco does a carton of ready made eggnog in the American aisle but it doesn't contain alcohol and costs £6.  It is so easy to make yourself and a lot cheaper if you have booze to hand and boy does it taste good.  Here is the recipe translated into English from the simplyrecipes.com website and tomorrow or boxing day you'll find out if the cake worked.

EGGNOG

 

• 4 egg yolks
• 3oz sugar
• 450ml milk
• 2 whole cloves
• 1/4 tsp of cinnamon
• 284/300ml single cream (depending on the carton size at your supermarket)
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tbsp. each of bourbon and rum or brandy

In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks till they combine and become lighter in colour
Slowly add the sugar, beating after each addition, then whisking till light and fluffy
In a heavy bottomed pan combine the milk, cloves and cinnamon and heat till it is steaming hot but not boiling
Add half the hot milk to the egg mixture whisking constantly then return the mixture to the rest of the milk in the pan
Cook on medium heat stirring with a wooden spoon until it starts to thicken slightly and coats the back of the spoon ( or reaches 160F on a sugar thermometer)
Add the cream then remove from the heat and strain into a jug to remove the cloves
Allow to cool for an hour
Mix in the vanilla, nutmeg and alcohol and chill till ready to serve.

(If like me you have vanilla bean paste just mix it well with the booze to dissolve it)