Eggnog

Eggnog is an egg-based alcoholic beverage traditionally served around Christmas. All you need to make this drink is heavy cream, sugar, eggs, alcohol, and spices.

Eggnog can be made in two ways. I prefer to make it with just the egg yolks, but you could also whip up the egg whites and stir them in before serving.

The beaten egg whites make your eggnog even fluffier.

Ingredients

Eggs - when making eggnog, you use raw eggs. By heating them, you make sure that all salmonella dies.

When making eggnog, use as fresh eggs as possible. Especially if you stir in raw beaten egg whites, this is important to minimize the chance of salmonella.

Alcohol - although you can make this drink alcohol-free, eggnog usually contains alcohol. Traditionally, rum, brandy, or whiskey is used for this.

Milk - It is best to use whole milk for a really creamy beverage. You can also replace this with plant-based milk if you want to make it lactose-free.

You can find the complete ingredient list and instructions on the recipe card below!

Instructions

To make this drink, start by heating the milk with the cloves and cinnamon and beating the egg yolks with the sugar in a heatproof bowl.

Pour in the hot milk and keep stirring, so the yolks do not curdle.

Pour the egg mixture back into the pan and heat over low heat until it thickens.

Once it thickens a bit, turn off the heat and pour it through a strainer into a pitcher. Put the jug in the refrigerator and let the eggnog cool completely.

You want it to be about the thickness of evaporated milk before letting it cool because it will thicken more as it cools.

Divide it between glasses, and add some whipped cream and more cinnamon before serving.

Eggnog or advocaat

Eggnog and advocaat are both beverages made with egg yolks and alcohol. The main difference is the spaces you add.

Advocaat is a traditional Dutch drink with vanilla, whereas eggnog contains more spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Alcohol-free eggnog

Are you making this drink for kids, or would you rather not drink alcohol? You can easily omit the alcohol.

My tips for the best eggnog

• Use a thermometer. To make sure all the salmonella is killed, it's important to heat the eggs to about 140°F 60°C.
• Make it a day in advance! To give all the ingredients a chance to release their flavor properly, it's a good idea to make it a day before.
• Use fresh spices. You can use spices from a jar, but fresh spices give just that little extra flavor.
• Keep stirring. The more fanatical you stir, the less chance you have of your egg yolks coagulating.
• Apple liqueur. If you like apple pie, you should really stir some apple liqueur into your eggnog. This gives this Christmas cocktail, especially in combination with cinnamon, a delicious creamy apple pie flavor.

Equipment

To make this recipe, you will need a saucepan, Nice glasses to serve it in, a bowl, a whisk or mixer to whip the egg whites, and a strainer because, just like with vanilla sauce, custard and curds, it's important to fish out all the curdled bits.

Storage

You can keep this drink in the refrigerator for about three days. Because the flavors can develop well, it is even tastier if you make it in advance!

If you want to stir in whipped egg whites, I recommend that you do so just before serving because all the air disappears when the drink is left to stand.

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