Eggnog

Ingredients

• 2 dozen eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 gallon skim milk (or 1/2 skim, 1/2 soy)
• 1-2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• Peel from 2 oranges

Instructions

In a large saucepan or pot, whisk up the eggs, then add the sugar. (If you use an electric beater, don’t overbeat and make it frothy.) Add the milk and cook slowly over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. More or less constantly, I’d say. I tend to multitask while waiting for this to cook but do be careful. There is a very fine line between eggnog and custard, as I’ve learned. The latter is delicious, but not to imbibe. Add the spices and peel from both oranges to flavor the nog, along with the vanilla and honey, stirring to combine. (Here’s a little holiday cooking challenge for you: Can you remove the orange peel in one long piece?)

It usually takes around 20-30 minutes or so for the nog to reach a temperature of about 160-170 degrees F (70 C or so), which you want to do in order to cook the eggs.  When it reaches the correct temperature, remove from the heat and let it sit for 2-3 hours. It will thicken substantially, and may even look like custard at this point, especially if you used soy milk. Soy milk has more protein so it will lead to a more viscous product.  Do not fret, my friends! This is normal. Next, obtain a large container and set a colander or sieve (like for sifting flour) on top.  Pour the eggnog through, using a wooden spoon to move it through the sieve. This will remove the cooked eggs from the nog, which is the objective. This is much like straining my vegetable juice from way-back-when, actually; here’s the video if you’d like to check it out. This part does take patience, but it’s worth it for homemade eggnog, I assure you. If egg solids remain, the the holes in your colander are too large and you’ll need to switch to a finer sieve.

Once the eggnog is through the colander, it will be smooth. Take a taste. You can certainly adjust the seasoning, viscosity, or creaminess as you desire by adding a bit more of the above ingredients. I often find myself adding a bit more milk to thin it out and/or a bit more vanilla or honey to fine-tune the flavor. Your might add a little cream for body, though I don’t find it necessary you might if you’re used to a creamier beverage. As with most things culinary, making eggnog is as much art as science. Just remember: moving it through the sieve solves any unintended custard-like qualities that have transpired. Usually. Unless it’s really, really thick, in which case you’ve got yourself lovely homemade custard: perhaps make a trifle for dessert and run on out to the store to buy some high-quality store made nog.

Note. In another variation, I separate the whites from the yolks and add whipped egg whites to the cooked and cooled nog. This strategy breaks down the richness while adding a lot of lightness; both are great.