Eggnog, eggnog or Christmas punch

You have to discover the eggnog if you don't know it yet! Eggnog is what we call here eggnog or Christmas punch , a sweet drink made from eggs and milk, and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, a good dose of ginger and cloves . It is a really special drink, that you have to try if you feel like having an alternative drink to a good glass of chocolate to sweeten the afternoon or you want to offer your guests a drink to finish the meal and accompany some cookies. I have fallen in love with this punch!

Eggnog is one of the most popular drinks in the United States. It is very common to drink during Christmas celebrations and cold times, and in fact it is also traditional to make it and package it in small bottles to give as gifts to friends and family.

There are several recipes for making eggnog. All of them logically incorporate egg yolk and milk, but among them they vary in the amounts of spices, in the fact of incorporating evaporated milk or cooking cream or not, and in the final presentation. You also have the option of making it with or without rum (or another liquor), you will see both options later.

The recipe that I bring you is the one that, after long investigations, seems to be one of the recipes with the most traditional preparation and proportions . The truth is that at home, and especially the older ones, we have fallen in love. I hope you like it as much as we do, and that the curiosities and notes that I leave below serve to fill the Christmas table with curiosities about this Christmas punch if you dare to do so.

What you should know about Eggnog or Eggnog

Eggnog is a creamy drink , flavored with eggs, milk and many spices (especially ginger and cinnamon stand out); It is creamy and super easy to make (you have it done in less than 30 minutes).

It is a drink that arouses great passions, especially among lovers of sweet drinks and spices (on the other hand, if there is someone who does not like ginger, I do not recommend it).

This punch can be made with or without alcohol - you will see how to do it in both cases in the recipe.

Luigi Bormioli double-walled glasses and set of 4 Zassenhaus serving boards

History and curiosities about the eggnog

The eggnog is the most popular in the United States, but it does not come from there: it was actually born in England in the Middle Ages and comes from the posset (a drink made from cooked milk, which apart from beer, cereals or bread, was sweetened with spices and sugar). Thus, it was the immigrants to the United States who introduced the drink there, where it became popular.

The drink originally incorporated some wine or liquor (like many other hot drinks, which were born in Europe based on wine or liquor and spices to help combat the cold of winter).

In Europe, this punch went from having wine to incorporating Jerez, and became a traditional drink for celebrations. However, it was when the first versions of this punch arrived in the United States that cheaper alternative liquors were used. That is why today the traditional recipe incorporates rum .

In the United States, Eggnog is so popular that it is packaged in large supermarkets and specialized stores (safely during the cold months of the year).

About the preparation of Eggnog or eggnog

• The first part of the preparation will remind you of how pastry cream is made. So you know how easy it is!
• The recipe incorporates spices in significant amounts. It is not a mistake and, in fact, I have slightly reduced the amount of ginger in the traditional recipe, as it was excessive for my taste and, in my opinion, for the palates of many in our country.
• You can make Eggnog with rum and without rum. Obviously without rum it is suitable for all children, as it is simply a drink made from eggs and milk.
• In case you want to add rum , the truth is that the alcohol note, due to the amounts that are added, is not appreciated, but all the notes of the punch become more defined and I think that, if you can, it is worth adding it - and as they recommended me to do, I recommend you try it (you can also, like I did, divide the amount of punch in two, and make the version with and without rum.
• After making it, it is advisable to keep it in the fridge for a few hours, to establish flavors (although you will see that this delight is making you eyes when you finish it).

Eggnog Recipe, Eggnog or Christmas Drink

Ingredients

• 710 ml of whole milk
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (6 g)
• 6 egg yolks
• 220g white sugar
• 1 tablespoon (2g) cinnamon
• 2 level tablespoons (4 g) ground ginger
• 1.5 level tablespoons (3 g) ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) cloves (usual, but optional)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) rum, brandy, or cognac*
• 350 ml of cooking cream (you can use whipping cream if you want it thicker and sweeter).

*You can do it without liquor, but the truth is that it is highly recommended. If you want, you can make the base mixture and, when you have it done, separate it into two parts, and apply half the rum (30 ml) to one of the parts.

Preparation

1. Put the milk in a saucepan over low heat. You must heat it without it boiling. Leave a few minutes and stop the heat to temper a bit.
2. Meanwhile, separate the whites from the yolks with a white separator . Transfer them to a bowl and mix with the sugar (if you do it with the KitchenAid, use the flexible-sided paddle attachment), until the mixture is whiter.
3. Pour a few tablespoons of milk into the bowl with the yolks, continuing to mix (we are not interested in the yolks curdling). After diluting the yolks a little with the milk, pour all the mixture of yolks and sugar into the saucepan with the hot milk. Put on a gentle fire.
4. Add the vanilla extract.
5. Leave on the fire until it reduces, until it thickens a bit. When it has a napa consistency, the preparation will be ready (when passing a finger through the reverse part of the spoon, the path traced by the finger is drawn).
6. Transfer it to a bowl, passing it through a fine mesh strainer.
7. In another bowl or pot, introduce very cold water (or water and ice). The idea is to put the bowl with the eggnog on top of that pot, so that the bowl with the eggnog cools (beware! we don't want water to get into the punch, we just want to cool the bowl and the preparation).
8. Add the cinnamon, cloves, ground ginger, nutmeg, cooking cream and rum* to the punch. Mix everything with a whisk and place in a bottle to let cool. Your Christmas punch is ready!

Presentation: When serving, mount the whites. In a tall Bormioli glass or mug-type cup, fill halfway with the eggnog and complement with the whipped egg whites. Add a cinnamon stick and sprinkle with cinnamon and/or cocoa powder.

Tricks and tips

• Take advantage of the whites! When it's time to serve, you'll often see Christmas punch served just as you've prepared it in a glass or mug, and with a cinnamon stick. However, if you want to follow the traditional version in which nothing was wasted, use the egg whites that you have separated from the yolks to assemble them, and serve the eggnog with a top layer of foam that you will decorate with cinnamon. This way you will make an eggnog of those that mark tradition!

• Eggnog is eaten hot , which is why it has always been ideal and typical of cold times. But cold is delicious! It reminds me of a spiced milkshake, Try it and you won't know how you like it better!
• You can also serve the punch directly into glasses, without foam. Simply apply a cinnamon stick and you will be luxurious.
• Use the eggnog to spice up your coffee: You'll see what a delicious spice-flavored latte you get if you add this punch to your coffee!
• It is usual, when making this homemade punch, to store it in bottles and jars to give it as a gift to the guests. What a beautiful tradition! Do we follow her?