Eggnog, egg punch or Christmas punch

You have to discover eggnog if you don't know it yet! The 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 clove. It’s a truly special drink that you have to try if you’re in the mood for an alternative to a good cup of hot chocolate to sweeten the afternoon, or if you want to offer your guests a drink to finish the meal and go with some cookies. I’ve fallen in love with this punch!

Eggnog is an extremely popular drink in the United States. It’s very common to drink during the Christmas celebrations and cold seasons, and in fact it is also traditional to make it and bottle it in small bottles to give as gifts to friends and family.

There are several recipes for making eggnog. All of them, of course, include egg yolks and milk, but they differ in the amounts of spices, in whether they include evaporated milk or cream, and in how it’s served. You also have the option to make it with rum or without rum (or another liqueur); you’ll see both options later on.

The recipe I bring you is the one that, after extensive research, seems to be one of the recipes with the most traditional preparation and proportions. Honestly, at home—and especially the older folks—we’ve fallen in love with it. I hope you like it as much as we do, and that the fun facts and notes I’m sharing below help you fill the Christmas table with fun facts about this Christmas punch if you decide to make it.

What you should know about eggnog or egg punch

The eggnog it is a creamy drink, with a flavor of egg, milk, and many spices (ginger and cinnamon stand out in particular); it's creamy and turns out super easy to make (you'll have it done in less than 30 minutes).

It’s a drink that inspires strong feelings, especially among fans of sweet drinks and spices (on the other hand, if you don’t like ginger, I wouldn’t recommend it).

This punch can be made with or without alcohol—you’ll see how to make it both ways in the recipe.

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

History and fun facts about eggnog

El eggnog it is one of the most popular in the United States, but it doesn't come from there: it actually originated in England in the Middle Ages and comes from posset (a drink made with boiled milk that, in addition to beer, grains, 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 included some wine or spirits (like so many other hot drinks that originated in Europe, made with wine or spirits and spices to help combat the winter cold).

In Europe, this punch went from being made with wine to incorporating Sherry, and it became a traditional drink for celebrations. However, when the first versions of this punch arrived in the United States, cheaper alternative spirits began to be used. That’s why to this day the traditional recipe includes rum.

In the United States, eggnog is so popular that it’s sold prepackaged in big-box stores and specialty shops (safely during the cold months of the year).

About preparing eggnog or egg punch

• The first part of the preparation will remind you of how pastry cream is made. So you already know how easy it is!
• The recipe uses spices in generous amounts. That’s not a mistake and, in fact, I’ve slightly reduced the amount of ginger from the traditional recipe, as it was excessive for my taste and, in my view, for the palate of many in our country.
• You can make eggnog with rum and without rum. Obviously, without rum it is suitable for all children, since it is simply an egg- and milk-based drink.
• If you want to add rum, the truth is that the alcohol note, given the amounts that are added, isn't noticeable, but all the punch notes become more defined and I think that, if you can, it's worth adding it -and as I was advised to do, I recommend you try it (you can also, as I did, split the amount of punch in two, and make the version with and without rum.
• Once it's prepared, it's best to refrigerate it for a few hours so the flavors can meld (though you'll see that this treat will be calling your name as soon as it's finished).

Eggnog recipe, egg punch, or Christmas drink

Ingredients

• 710 ml of whole milk
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (6 g)
• 6 egg yolks
• 220 g of white sugar
• 1 tablespoon (2 g) of cinnamon
• 2 level tablespoons (4 g) of ground ginger
• 1,5 level tablespoons (3 g) of ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) of cloves (usual, but optional)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) of rum, brandy, or cognac*
• 350 ml of cooking cream (you can use whipping cream if you want it thicker and sweeter).

*You can make it without alcohol, but honestly it’s highly recommended. If you want, you can make the base mixture and, once it’s ready, split it into two parts, and add 30 ml of rum to one of them.

Preparation

1. Put the milk in a saucepan over low heat. Heat it without letting it come to a boil. Let it sit for a few minutes and turn off the heat so it cools slightly.
2. Meanwhile, separate the egg whites from the yolks with a egg white separator. Transfer them to a bowl and mix with the sugar (if you’re using the KitchenAid, use the flex-edge paddle attachment) until the mixture is paler.
3. Pour a few tablespoons of milk into the bowl with the yolks, stirring continuously (we don’t want the yolks to curdle). After thinning the yolks a little with the milk, pour the entire yolk-and-sugar mixture into the saucepan with the hot milk. Set over low heat.
4. Add the vanilla extract.
5. Leave it over the heat until it reduces, until it thickens a bit. When it has a nappe consistency, the preparation will be ready (when running a finger across the back of the spoon leaves the line traced by the finger).
6. Transfer it to a bowl, passing it through a fine-mesh sieve.
7. In another bowl or pot, add very cold water (or water and ice). The idea is to place the bowl with the eggnog on top of that pot, so the bowl with the eggnog cools down (Careful! we don’t want any water getting into the eggnog; we only want to chill the bowl and the mixture).
8. Add to the punch the cinnamon, cloves, ground ginger, nutmeg, cooking cream, and rum*. Mix everything with a whisk and pour into a bottle to cool. Your Christmas punch is ready!

Presentation: When serving, whip the egg whites. In a tall glass like the ones from Bormioli or in a mug-style cup, fill halfway with the eggnog and top with whipped egg whites. Add a cinnamon stick and sprinkle with cinnamon and/or cocoa powder.

Tips and tricks

• Make the most of the egg whites! When serving, you’ll often see Christmas punch served just as you prepared it in a glass or mug, with a cinnamon stick. However, if you want to follow the traditional version in which nothing went to waste, use the egg whites you separated from the yolks to whip them, and serve the eggnog with a top layer of foam which you will garnish with cinnamon. That’s how you’ll make an eggnog true to tradition!

• Eggnog is drunk hot, which is why it has always been ideal and typical of the cold seasons. But cold, it's delicious! It reminds me of a spiced milkshake—try it and you won't know which way you like it best!
• It's customary, when making this homemade punch, to store it in small bottles and jars to give as a gift to guests. What a lovely tradition! Shall we keep it going?

More ideas for serving your Eggnogg

• You can serve the punch as well directly into glasses, without foam. Simply add a cinnamon stick and it'll be perfect.

If you want to add a decorative touch to the eggnog glass or mug, you can give it a sugar rim: you just need to moisten the rim of the glass (with a damp cloth or by turning it on a tray with a little water or milk). Next, turn it upside down onto a plate or tray with a layer of sugar, either white or brown. You’ll see how the sugar sticks to the moistened rim. It looks elegant and pretty and will add extra sweetness to the first sips.

• Your coffee with milk, with eggnogg: add eggngg to your coffee; you'll have a delicious latte with the spiced flavor of eggnog. You can also sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.

• Instead of cinnamon, garnish with a star anise: while it scents the first sip, it looks festive and elegant and adds warmth to the presentation.

• Serve the eggnog with whipped cream—if we’re going to enjoy it, let’s do it the sweetest way! You can garnish the whipped cream with a little cocoa powder.