These past couple and upcoming weeks have left me to ponder:
“Where the f*ck is the eggnog?”
Originated and once popular within the European aristocracy, eggnog has today become an iconic seasonal delight. In mid-November cartons begin lining the refrigerated shelves of grocery stores, and empty spaces follow the craze. Many brands have taken to the cult beverage, including Horizon, known for their organic dairy line, and Southern Comfort, known for their summery blackout nights, with a twist of lime. What many don’t know, however, is that regardless of fat content and cooly seasonal packaging designs, store-bought nog isn’t real. In the sense that it still tastes like the melty nutmeg ice cream it is, but in the sense that to preserve freshness, the store stuff only boasts about 1% of its weight in egg yolk, a hugely vital addition to the incomparably tasting homemade stuff. In fact, if you take a look at the carton’s ingredients list, you’ll often find yellow food dye, meant to mask the eggy absence.
Self-proclaimed eggnog aficionados: if you’ve yet to make or even try fresh, homemade eggnog, now is the freakin’ time.
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Classic Eggnog Recipe
Separate the eggs into two large bowls. You’ll want to be careful not to break any yolk into the whites, as they later won’t whip, so you may want to follow a helpful tutorial.
Over medium-low heat on the stovetop (about a “4″), in a large pot, heat the milk, cream, and spices.
Beat the powdered sugar into the egg yolks, gradually. It may seem like a lot of sugar at first (and it totally is), but bit by bit it will combine.
When the milk mixture is hot and near-boiling (but not quite), vigorously whisk the yolk mixture in. You’ll want to do this little by little, and may need somebody to pour it in whilst whisking. This will combine the egg yolks, while also cooking them. After blended, remove from heat.
Some like their eggnog with froth- if desired, sprinkle a bit of granulated sugar into the egg whites and whisk until soft peaks form. While this can be done manually, you’ll come to find a hand mixer a much simpler means. After, fold whites into the eggnog with a rubber spatula.
This recipe yields a little more than a half gallon of egg nog. Pour into a large pitcher, or cleansed milk jug, and store overnight to chill.
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Many enjoy their eggnog spiked. Consider these combinations:
Kentucky Eggnog Spike
1 cup bourbon
1 cup dark rum
1 cup brandy
Peppermint Eggnog Spike
1 cup peppermint schnapps
1/2 cup vodka
Stereotypical College Eggnog Spike
1 1/2 cups Fireball Whisky
However much leftover Burnett’s, *shoulder shrug*
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In case you didn’t know, eggnog also doubles as a pre-made french toast batter.
Looking for something new to cook this holiday season? Put a twist on your french toast by adding Eggnog. (Courtney King/ Emerald)
Eggnog French Toast (1 serving)
3 slices bread
2 cups eggnog
Preheat butter or oil on a griddle pan over medium heat.
Turn each slice of bread in the eggnog, allowing each side to absorb it.
Place nog-soaked slices on a pan, and allow to cook for about 3 minutes on both sides of bread, checking often. You’ll want the slices to be lightly browned and golden in color.
Garnish with cinnamon and nutmeg and enjoy with butter and syrup, if desired.