Happy Solstice dear friends. Today is our biggest (and most loved) family celebration of the year. We'll be staying up late around the fire, making gingerbread houses and clove oranges, laughing and celebrating the return to the light. The celebration will continue into tomorrow and then we'll roll joyfully toward Christmas Eve with my family. I love this time of year.
And each day we'll be drinking eggnog. My recipe (below) is a small Solstice gift for you.
Every year I'm lured into buying a quart here, a quart there of eggnog. I can't resist. But store-bought (even the organic, corn syrup-free sort I have available to me locally) is far to sweet for my palate, and well, it's not homemade. This year I finally made my own. What exactly was I waiting for? It's quick, easy, and so good you might just feed it to your kids for breakfast. (Like I just did.)
If you prefer a thinner eggnog you can make the recipe below without cooking (if you are comfortable with raw eggs) or omit the extra yolks.
Thick Homemade Eggnog Recipe
4 C whole milk (mine is raw, but as you will cook it use what you have)
1 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs and 3 yolks (best eggs = best eggnog)
Maple syrup or honey, to taste. (Start with as little at 3 Tb. per batch. Purchased nog comes in in the 6+ Tb range. We love ours far less sweet with just 3-4 Tb, but if you are adding alcohol - or have a sweet tooth - a bit more sweetness may be preferable.)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
How To Make Eggnog
Gently heat milk and nutmeg to very hot but not boiling.
In a separate, heat-proof bowl, whisk eggs and yolks together. Set aside.
When milk is steaming hot temper eggs by adding hot milk 1 Tb at a time and quickly whisk in. Repeat this process until you've whisked 1/4 cup of milk or so into your eggs. (This process keeps your eggs from turning scrambled when you add them to the hot milk.)
Add eggs to hot milk and whisk. Heat over medium heat until the nog begins to bubble and thicken, whisking all the while. Remove from heat, cool a bit, then add maple or honey and vanilla.
Allow to cool to a good drinkable temperature, then puree with your stick blender or regular blender or pour through a strainer if you prefer a perfectly smooth and thick eggnog. Or just drink it up if you aren't particular about these things.
It'll be gone in ten minutes. I promise.
Wishing you a beautiful holiday. I'll be back here next week!
Love,
Rachel
