Eggnog, eggnog or Christmas punch

You have to discover eggnog if you don't know it yet! Eggnog is what we call eggnog or Christmas punch here, 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, which you have to try if you want to have 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 a very popular drink in the United States. It is very common to drink during Christmas celebrations and cold seasons, 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 they vary in the amounts of spices, in whether or not they incorporate evaporated milk or cooking cream, and in the final presentation. You also have the option of making it with rum or without rum (or another liquor), you will see both options later.

The recipe that I bring you is the one that, after long research, 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 with it. I hope you like it as much as we do, and that the curiosities and notes I leave you below will help you fill your 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 egg, milk and many spices (ginger and cinnamon especially 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 wall glasses and set of 4 Zassenhaus serving boards

History and curiosities about eggnog

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 posset (a drink based on cooked milk, which, apart from beer, cereals or bread, was sweetened with spices and sugar). Thus, it was immigrants to the United States who introduced the drink there, where it became popular.

The drink originally incorporated some wine or liquor (like so 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 containing wine to incorporating sherry, and became a traditional drink for celebrations. However, it was when the first versions of this punch arrived in the United States that they switched to using cheaper alternative liquors. 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 specialty 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 quantities. It is not a mistake and, in fact, I have reduced the amount of ginger in the traditional recipe a little, 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 based on egg and milk.
• If you want to add rum , the truth is that the alcohol note, due to the quantities 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 just as they recommended me to do, I recommend you try it (you can also, as I did, divide the amount of punch in two, and make the version with and without rum.
• After preparation, it is advisable to keep it in the refrigerator for a few hours, to settle the flavors (although you will see that this delicacy is making eyes at you when you finish it).

Eggnog recipe, eggnog or Christmas drink

Ingredients

• 710 ml whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (6 g)
• 6 egg yolks
• 220 g white sugar
• 1 tablespoon (2 g) cinnamon
• 2 level tablespoons (4 g) ginger powder
• 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 ready, separate it into two parts, and apply half of 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 letting it boil. Leave it for a few minutes and stop the heat so it can cool down a little.
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 side paddle attachment), until the mixture is whiter.
3. Pour a few tablespoons of milk into the bowl with the yolks, continuing to mix (we don't want the yolks to curdle). After diluting the yolks a little with the milk, pour the entire yolk and sugar mixture into the saucepan with the hot milk. Put on low heat.
4. Add the vanilla extract.
5. Leave it on the heat until it reduces, until it thickens a little. When it has a smooth consistency, the preparation will be ready (when passing a finger along the back of the spoon, the path traced by the finger is drawn).
6. Transfer to a bowl, passing through a fine mesh strainer.
7. In another bowl or pot, add 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 (Be careful! 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, powdered 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, whip the egg whites. In a tall glass like Bormioli's or a mug, fill halfway with the eggnog and add the whipped egg whites. Add a cinnamon stick and sprinkle with cinnamon and/or cocoa powder.

Tricks and tips

• Take advantage of the whites! At serving time, you will often see Christmas punch served as you have 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 whites that you have separated from the yolks to whip them, and serve the eggnog with a top layer of foam that you will decorate with cinnamon. This way you will make one of the traditional eggnogs!

• Eggnog is eaten hot , which is why it has always been ideal and typical of cold seasons. But cold it is delicious! It reminds me of a spicy milkshake, try it and you won't know how you like it better!
• It is common, when making this homemade punch, to store it in bottles and jars to give it as gifts to guests. What a beautiful tradition! Shall we follow her?

More ideas to serve your Eggnogg

• You can also serve the punch directly in glasses, without foam . Simply apply a cinnamon stick and you will be in luxury.

If you want to add a decorative touch to the eggnog glass or mug, you can apply a sugar rim: just moisten the rim of the glass (with a soaked cloth or by turning it over a tray with a little water or milk). Next, place it upside down on a plate or tray with a layer of sugar, either white or brown. You will see how the sugar sticks to the moistened edge. It is elegant, beautiful and will provide additional sweetness to the first sips.

• Your latte, with eggnogg: apply eggngg to your coffee, you will see what a delicious latte with the spicy flavor of eggnog. You can add a little cinnamon on top too.

• Instead of cinnamon, decorate with a little star of anise: while it aromatizes the first sip, it is Christmassy, ​​elegant and adds warmth to the presentation.

• Serve the eggnogg with cream, let's enjoy it, let's do it in the sweetest way! You can decorate the cream with a little cocoa powder.