I have found some great recipes if you want to mix up a batch of traditional eggnog from scratch. There is even a recipe for a lowfat version. BTW, don't tell anyone, but I sometimes will doctor-up the store bought eggnog, as it can be pretty good, plus it speeds up the process. I have also found some great eggnog-type items for the holidays. Seasonal greetings with a cup of eggnog!
Image Credit: Christmas Eggnog merry graphic designed by JaguarJulie.
I like a little eggnog in my Christmas coffee! How about you???
Is it one of your Christmas drinks?
- Absolutely!
- Might be
- Nope, never had it
A Special Xmas Eggnog Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
12 egg yolks
4 cups milk
4 cups cream
3 cups light rum
1-3/4 cups sugar
5 cloves
2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions:
In a saucepan over low heat, blend the milk, cinnamon, cloves and half a teaspoon of the vanilla essence. Keep stirring while mixture heats, and remove from heat just before boiling point.
In a bowl, mix together the sugar with all those egg yolks. Make sure you whisk them well so that they're light and fluffy. Gently and a little at a time, pour in the milk mixture while continuing to whisk.
Transfer mixture back into your saucepan over a medium heat while continuing to stir. Keep stirring until your eggnog mixture starts to resemble custard. Never let the mixture reach the boiling point.
Pour and strain the mixture into a jug, making sure to remove the cloves. Stand jug in the fridge for an hour or two. Gently stir in the cream, light rum, remaining vanilla and ground nutmeg.
Put back into the fridge overnight. Serve in cups with a little extra ground nutmeg, cinnamon or baking cocoa sprinkled lightly on top.
A Traditional Christmas Eggnog Recipe
12 eggs, separated
6 cups milk
2 cups heavy thickened cream
2 cups bourbon
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup brandy
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
6 cups milk
2 cups heavy thickened cream
2 cups bourbon
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup brandy
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
In a large bowl and using a mixer, beat the egg yolks together with the sugar for about 10 minutes. Slowly add in the bourbon and brandy a little at a time. When bourbon and brandy have been added, allow the mixture to cool in the fridge for about 6 hours.
30 minutes before your guests arrive, stir the milk into the chilled yolk mixture. Stir in 1-1/2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg.
In a separate bowl, beat the cream with a mixer on high speed until the cream forms stiff peaks. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Gently fold the cream into the egg mixture.
Serve eggnog with a sprinkling of ground nutmeg.
Lowfat Eggnog Recipe
1 cup “Egg Beaters”
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 teaspoons rum extract
2 pinches of ground nutmeg
2 pinches of ground cinnamon
sweetener or sugar, to taste
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, Egg Beaters and sweetener or sugar. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens slightly; so that it can coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the vanilla essence, rum extract, one pinch of nutmeg and one pinch of cinnamon.
Remove from heat, cover and refrigerate until the eggnog has cooled; about 3 hours.
Just prior to serving, ladle eggnog into glasses and garnish with a pinch each of ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon.
More Christmas Eggnog Recipes:
- Eggnog with Rum Recipe - Yummy recipe for eggnog with rum serves 8.
- Traditional Eggnog Recipe - This rather traditional eggnog recipe call for brandy and bourbon. It serves 8.
- Lowfat Eggnog Recipe - Watching your weight this holiday season? Here is a lowfat eggnog recipe that serves 6.
History of Eggnog
- The origins, etymology, and even the ingredients used to make the original eggnog drink, are debated.
- Eggnog, or a very similar drink, may have originated in East Anglia, England.
- An article by Nanna Rognvaldardottir, an Icelandic food expert, states that the drink adopted the nog part of its name from the word noggin, a middle English phrase used to describe a small, wooden, carved mug used to serve alcohol in.
- Another name for this English drink was Egg Flip.
- Yet another story is that the term derived from the name egg-and-grog, a common Colonial term used to describe rum. Eventually the term was shortened to egg'n'grog, then eggnog. [In 1607 reported by Captain John Smith.]
- Egg Nog was first consumed in the USA in Jamestown, Virginia.
- The ingredients for the drink were too expensive and uncommon for the lower classes, but it was popular among the aristocracy.
- "You have to remember, the average Londoner rarely saw a glass of milk," says author and historian James Humes ["To Humes It May Concern", July 1997]. "There was no refrigeration, and the farms belonged to the big estates. Those who could get milk and eggs to make eggnog mixed it with brandy or Madeira or even sherry."
- The drink crossed the Atlantic to the English colonies during the 18th Century.
- Since brandy and wine were heavily taxed, rum from the Triangular Trade with the Caribbean was a cost-effective substitute. The inexpensive liquor coupled with plentiful farm and dairy products helped the drink become very popular in America.
- Nothing--give it to me straight!
- Bourbon
- Brandy
- Rum
- Whiskey
- It's a secret!
"A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”
–Slovak Night Before Christmas.
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”
–Slovak Night Before Christmas.
Officially Licensed National Lampoons Christmas Vacation Glass Moose Mug - SINGLE Mug
Is eggnog a Christmas tradition for you?
How about other holidays? Do you have it other times? How do you MAKE it?
History: Christmas Eggnog : A Delicious Recipe was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 4, 2007. Highest lensrank ever achieved: #280 overall. Lens #179 in the quest for Giant Squid 200 Club.
