Homemade eggnog may sound like an intimidating venture, but once you have tried it once you will never go back to store bought. The process can be a little time consuming, but you will discover it is well worth it.
Ingredients (yields 12 servings, or about 2 quarts):
- 4 cups of milk (any kind will do)
- 5 whole cloves
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 12 egg yolks (save the whites you can use them for something else)
- 1.5 cups of white sugar
- 4 cups of white cream (heavy whipping cream will do)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions:
1.) Combine the milk, cloves, ½ teaspoon of vanilla, and cinnamon in a large pot and heat over a low to low-medium setting for 5-10 minutes. Slowly bring mixture to a boil. If you are looking for a little bit thicker of a drink you can almost scald the milk and cinnamon on the bottom of the pot to create a film-like substance that acts as a thickening agent.
2.) In a large mixing bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Whisk together until fluffy. Whisk in hot milk mixture slowly and evenly. Once combined pour the mixture back into the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly to thicken for 3-5 minutes. Do not allow mixture to boil because then the eggs will start to cook and make the eggnog chunky (unless this is what you desire, the taste will be the same, it will just have a different texture). Strain to remove cloves and let the remaining mixture cool for about an hour.
3.) Stir in cream, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and nutmeg. You can add some more milk or cream if you want to yield a little more or thin up the eggnog a little. You can also add more a little more cinnamon to taste.
4.) Refrigerate the eggnog overnight before serving.
You can also spice up the eggnog by adding in various types of liquor while serving. You can add brandy, light or spiced rum, or bourbon to give the eggnog an adult flavor, but please enjoy responsibly.
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