Homemade Egg Nog

Pure decadence. Store bought egg nog will be a thing of the past once you have mastered this recipe! Custard can be tricky to make for the first time, so remember that if it does start to curdle (usually due to overheating), take off of heat, place saucepan over a bowl full of ice and whisk until it has come back together!

Serves 12-16

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• half a cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• one quarter teaspoon table salt
• 4 cups whole milk
• half a cup brandy, bourbon, or dark rum
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• half a teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg, plus extra for garnish
• half a cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Method

1. Off heat, whisk eggs, yolks, half a cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in heavy 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Stir in milk, one-half cup at a time, blending well after each addition, this will ensure a smooth custard. Heat slowly over lowest possible flame, stirring constantly, until custard registers 160 degrees on instant read thermometer, thickens, and coats the back of a spoon, 25 to 30 minutes. Do not heat past this point! Pour custard through sieve into large bowl; stir in liquor, vanilla and grated nutmeg. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least three hours and up to three days.

2. Just before serving, whip cream in medium bowl to very soft peaks and gently fold into custard mixture until incorporated. Serve in chilled punch bowl or cups, garnishing with optional grated nutmeg.

** You can omit the brandy to make a non-alcoholic eggnog, but you should also decrease the cream to one quarter cup in order to keep the right consistency. For the same reason, increase the cream to three quarters cup if you choose to add another half -cup alcohol for a high-test nog.