A Tale of Four Eggnogs

[lwood]

Herein, I compare and ponder four eggnog recipes:


Eggnog Recipe from "Miss S.", brought to my attention by dduane:

12 egg yolks
1 lb icing sugar (2 1/2 c)
750 mL Myers' Planter's Punch rum, halved
2 L whole milk
1 L heavy cream
fresh-grated nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice

Proportions:
1 cream : 2 milk : 1 booze : 1/2 sugar : 3 egg yolks

You take a dozen eggs. You separate the yolks from the whites. You freeze the whites and do something else with them. (Probably meringue.)


You beat the eggs together extremely well with a pound of confectioners’ sugar / icing sugar. (UK icing sugar is actually slightly superior for this, as unlike US confectioners’ sugar, it contains no cornstarch.) You then pour in half a bottle of Myers’ Planter’s Punch Rum (or other good smooth dark rum).

You mix it all well and put it in the fridge, tightly covered, to get friendly with itself overnight.

The next day you combine this mixture with about half a gallon of whole milk and at least a quart of cream — more, if you like. And the rest of the rum. Into this whole business you then grate fresh nutmeg (not more than a quarter teaspoon, as nutmeg is toxic in excess) and some cinnamon and allspice to taste. Check the flavor, and then add more milk/cream if you feel the eggnog’s too strong.

Refrigerate for a while more: then serve it forth.

---

Eggnog Recipe of Alton Brown:

4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pint whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces bourbon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 egg whites*

1 cream : 2 milk : 3/8 booze : 1/3 sugar : 4 egg yolks

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

---

Eggnog Recipe of lferion

Ingredients:

6 big eggs (I use extra large or jumbo)
1/2 Cup sugar
2 Cups heavy whipping cream
2 Cups milk ('whole' for preference)
3/4 Cup Dark Rum
3/4 Cup Scotch (or Bourbon)
Fresh ground nutmeg


1 cream : 1 milk : 3/4 booze : 1/4 sugar : 6 eggs

Useful Tools:

2+ liter/quart mixing bowl with a pour-spout
2 cup measure with pour-spout
Wire whisk

Break the eggs into the bowl, and add the sugar. Beat until the sugar is all dissolved and the eggs are all mixed. Add in the cream and mix until smooth. Add in the milk and mix until smooth. Now comes the tricky part.

Having measured the alcohol into the 2c measure, *trickle* it into the mixture, stirring constantly. (The object here is not to shock the eggs, because if that happens you get large globs that are both unaesthetic and unappetizing.)

Once the alcohol is all stirred in, and you have a nice creamy mixture, pour it into a covered pitcher and put in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, (6 to 12 is better), stirring once in a while. This allows the eggs to 'cook' and everything to blend nicely.

Stir before serving, and put a little fresh ground nutmeg on each portion.

Makes about 12 smallish servings. Keeps in the fridge for a week or so.

---

Lastly, although not included here, I also looked at the recipe in Cooks' Illustrated is rather a sport; it's cooked and the propostions are 1 cream : 8 milk : 1 booze : 8 yolks -- they get richness by causing custard, not employing cream.

I think I'm commit fusion: Miss S's proportions, Alton's meringue-folding, and lferion's booze-mixing. Look out, world! 8-)

-- Lorrie

Comments

[wivern.livejournal.com]

I shall put these in my memories as we don't do eggnog here and I've often wondered about it. Of course as it's usually over 30 celsius eggnog isn't the ideal beverage *g*

[lwood.livejournal.com]

*grin* Apparently it's most popular in the US, for all we like to blame the UK for it. But it is served chilled...

-- Lorrie

[lwood.livejournal.com]

I think you posted the comment I cite here, but you weren't logged in, if so; replying instead to this comment assures it's going to the right place.

Yes, he place I hear about it is in American shows *g*.

Ah, chilled, Goes to show how little I knew about it, but it makes sense I suppose, then we could drink it on all but the hottest days. *g*


Well, I've also seen it used as a one-for-one replacement for milk in coffee and coffee-related drinks. However, it's quite thick, by any recipe, and between the spicing and the boozing is overall quite warming, even when chilled. Warmed, well, it encourages a good nap, if by "encourage" one means "wanders around with a sock full of sand".

*grin*

-- Lorrie

[wivern.livejournal.com]

Yes that was me.


Warmed, well, it encourages a good nap, if by "encourage" one means "wanders around with a sock full of sand".

Ahh, yes, I know that feeling too.

[lysana.livejournal.com]

I prefer blackfyr's recipe above all others. One dozen eggs (whole), two pounds of confectioner's sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice to nose, all blended until you get a great brown goopy mess. Add to dairy product to suit; spike with choice of booze. These days, we do eight eggs and an equivalent of two pounds of sugar in Splenda, but it is just as good.

[lwood.livejournal.com]

To each their own!

And now, after the New Year, I've still got some left...

-- Lorrie