77 replies to this topic

[tomidouglas]

Am wondering if anyone has any simple eggnog recipes (with alcohol) to share and especially any creative serving ideas. I do not have a punch bowl, will get one if I need to...but was thinking for my holiday party that I'd think of some creative and attractive way to serve the nog....I think it would be best to have it iced somehow...

Ideas?
And I may just buy the Nog as here in portland I can get some wonderful organic nog straight from the dairy....but am open to ideas!

[Jaymes]

You can buy the nog from some sort of premium dairy. I often do, depending on how much time I have. I add, depending of course on how much you have, but to about a half-gallon of nog, 1 cup bourbon, 1/2 C rum, 1/4 cup brandy. I come from a long line of "southern" cooks, and we always added bourbon to most everything. "And," my granny said, "you need some rum for the flavor, and brandy for the 'kick.'"

Let this sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours to ripen.

Then, just before serving, whip some heavy cream and/or egg whites (depending on your 'alarmist' factor), and gently fold it in. That will make your nog creamy and fluffy, and will definitely help the store-bought stuff.

Another advantage of buying the nog and doctoring it up with whipped cream is that the commercially-prepared product is pasturized. If you're worried about the raw egg thing, and serving it to guests, that is probably the way to go. And you can just fold in the whipped cream right before serving to give it that homemade touch.

For serving, I always make an "ice bowl." You can do this out of any large container. Boil the water first, so it'll freeze clear. Then put some mint or fake holly or something in it, and push a mixing bowl or something down in it. After it freezes, it makes a great bowl. Be sure to set your ice bowl on something that will hold the water as it melts. I have a clear glass mixing bowl that I use. One thing I've discovered is that because you want the nog cold, it seems to work better to use a small serving bowl, and refill it often with cold nog just out of the fridge.

Edited by Jaymes, 14 December 2004 - 03:21 PM.

[lovebenton0]

Jaymes, that's a very cool idea. I've done that for shrimp, never thought about using it for eggnog. Thanks!

[Marlene]

Killer Egg Nog


12 egg yolks
12 egg whites
1-1/2 c sugar
1 qt milk
1/2 qt heavy cream
1 qt dark rum


Beat egg yolks together with 1 cup of the sugar. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with 1/2 cup of the sugar. Mix yolks and whites together adding cream and milk. Blend until smooth. Add rum, mix well. Pour into punch bowl, sprinkle nutmeg on top. Chill before serving

[phaelon56]

I don't recall the exact recipe but the Glenny family eggnog recipe, adhered to for several generations by an old co-worker of mine, made an amazing drink that was so smooth one could not taste the alcohol. As I recall, it was much like Marlene's recipe but with less sugar and more alcohol. There was rum involved but also a very generous dose of Jack Daniels.

Here's the freaky part: it was made in large quantities (many, many gallons) and family tradition called for it to be stored in the only place where it would fit - an unheated back porch. Our December days are typically cold but often as high as the mid to upper 40's (fahrenheit degrees). This nog was not consumed until starting just before Christmas yet it was never spoiled and no one got sick drinking it. It was also incredibly, remarkably smooth - you really couldn't detect the alcohol, which was at a high level. Was it the alcohol that kept it from spoiling?

[FistFullaRoux]

A quick and dirty trick for keeping the eggnog cold - you can either buy store-bought vanilla ice cream, or turn some of the nog into an ice cream mix, then use the resulting ice cream in the bowl as a way to keep it cold. Just drop it right into the bowl.

Works every time.

[Gifted Gourmet]

article from Slate Magazine

Top Nog Which eggnog is best?By Dan Crane

Recently, I set out with 12 friends on a 70-degree Los Angeles winter evening to answer the question that's been haunting me (and no doubt you as well) for many holiday seasons: What's the top store-bought nog? And how do these nogs compare with homemade? (These are not easy questions to answer, I discovered, as eggnog is almost as universally loathed as the dreaded holiday fruitcake.)  We sampled six store-bought eggnogs—Organic Valley, Alta Dena, Horizon Organic, Rockview Farms, and Silk Soy Nog—Surprisingly, scores declined precipitously once alcohol was added. They were also nearly inversely proportional to the amount of eggnog consumed.

Go ahead, I know you are positively dying to read this!!

[Jaymes]

article from Slate Magazine

Top Nog      Which eggnog is best?By Dan Crane

(These are not easy questions to answer, I discovered, as eggnog is almost as universally loathed as the dreaded holiday fruitcake.)

I love eggnog. It was a part of our Christmas as far back as I can remember. My dad always made up a big batch, from scratch of course, sometime around the middle of December. I remember as a child that it tasted great when he first made it, but then he'd add something, and from then on, it tasted yucky. In later years, I discovered that what he was adding was bourbon, rum and brandy, and decided that wasn't so yucky after all.

He used many recipes, including one (I believe from an old, original 'Joy of Cooking') made with evaporated milk when he was on a health kick. But however he made it, eggnog was a ubiquitous part of our holiday. My dad even bought a small silver punchbowl set just for nothing but serving eggnog. And the remembrance of sipping my cool, creamy, brown-flecked nog (he always set aside some booze-less nog for us kids) from that frosty silver cup is one of my fondest Christmas memories.

In particular, we always had eggnog on 'tree decorating' night. And to this day, I can't decorate the tree without it, because it just doesn't seem 'right.'

However, that said, eggnog is so rich that even I can't drink more than one, or maybe two cups at a sitting. I can't imagine going through an "eggnog tasting." I think that'd be horrible.

I was unaware that eggnog is "universally loathed." I prepare it for all my holiday gatherings, but certainly don't force it on anyone. And at the end of the evening, it's always all gone, so someone must like it.

Edited by Jaymes, 23 December 2004 - 10:46 AM.

[2roost]

I have used the Joy of Cooking recipe for ever - any store bought I have tried is too thick.

[viaChgo]

This year I bought some premium commercial eggnog & poured it into my ice cream maker and voila! Eggnog Ice Cream. Next time, toward the end of the freezing, I may pour in a little bourbon. I realized that eggnog is already a custardy-ice cream base, so why not make it into ice cream?

[Jaymes]

This year I bought some premium commercial eggnog & poured it into my ice cream maker and voila! Eggnog Ice Cream. Next time, toward the end of the freezing, I may pour in a little bourbon. I realized that eggnog is already a custardy-ice cream base, so why not make it into ice cream?

I make French Toast with it during this time of year.

[viaChgo]

This year I bought some premium commercial eggnog & poured it into my ice cream maker and voila! Eggnog Ice Cream. Next time, toward the end of the freezing, I may pour in a little bourbon. I realized that eggnog is already a custardy-ice cream base, so why not make it into ice cream?

I make French Toast with it during this time of year.

That gives me another idea...what about making bread pudding with it? Just pour the eggnog over your bread of choice, let it soak, & bake.

edited to add:
Another thought...would eggnog work as a base for creme brulee??

Edited by viaChgo, 23 December 2004 - 10:59 AM.

[Jaymes]

There was rum involved but also a very generous dose of Jack Daniels.

Yeah, you won't find a recipe by southern cooks that doesn't have a "generous dose" of bourbon. Our family recipe, which also adds some rum and a little brandy, certainly features bourbon as the predominate booze flavor.

In fact, no matter what time of year it is, when I inhale the aroma of bourbon, I briefly, but inevitably, think "Yum, eggnog."

Edited by Jaymes, 25 December 2004 - 09:49 AM.

[esperanza]

I grew up in bourbon country and loved my mother's eggnog. I can't remember what vat she made it in, but once it was made, it was stored in the vegetable crispers of the refrigerator and dolloped into the Christmas Eve punchbowl with a 2-cup measuring cup. And I do mean dolloped--this eggnog almost has to be eaten with a spoon.

The recipe makes about 20-25 small punch cups of eggnog.

My Mother's Eggnog

1 dozen eggs, separated
2 1/2 cups white sugar
3 cups bourbon whiskey
1 cup rum
1 quart heavy cream

With an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until creamy and pale lemon color.

Little by little, add the bourbon and continue beating until fluffy. Add the rum and continue beating slowly.

Add the heavy cream and beat slowly until smooth.

With clean beater blades, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the other mixture.

Serve in punch cups with a sprinkle of fresh-ground nutmeg.
_____________________________

Mother usually made 5X this recipe for the annual Christmas Eve whoopdedoo. There was usually enough left--maybe a quart or so--on Christmas morning to stir into coffee while the presents were being opened. Ah, those dear dead days.

You didn't dare mention store-bought eggnog to my mother. I loved it, though, and secretly swilled it with friends every chance I got.

Edited by esperanza, 25 December 2004 - 10:28 AM.

[MHesse]

I tasted some 'nog' this year that had Frangelico in it. It was nice.

[skidude72]

I was wondering if anyone has a good egg nog recipie.... my dad used to make a great egg nog, but i cant figure out which of the 1000+ cookbooks he has it came from, all i remeber is it called for some ridicolous am,ount of brandy/cognac... like 4 fifth. anyways... Any one have a good or classic recipie they would like to share?

Thanks.

[Marlene]

Killer Eggnog This is the one I always use.

[eje]

I used the Alton Brown one on the FoodTV website this year.

Eggnog from School of Hard Nogs

The only changes I made were, not to separate the eggs (I'm lazy), add a bit more bourbon (4 oz), and to run it through a sieve before chilling.

Quite tasty! Met with universal acclaim.

Admin: Threads merged

[slkinsey]

My family recipe comes from a clipping of an old Four Roses Whiskey advertisement. The opposite side of the page has an advertisement "introducing the 1939 new Ford."

6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint heavy cream
1 pint milk
1 pint Four Roses (I use a good Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey)
1 ounce Meyers Rum
Grated Nutmeg to taste

Separate eggs. Add 1/2 cu. sugar to the yolks and beat until smooth. Add 1/2 cu. sugar to whites after beating very stiff. In a large bowl or punch bowl, mix egg whites with yolks. Stir in 1 pint heavy cream and 1 pint milk. Add the whiskey and rum. Stir thoroughly. Serve cold with grated nutmeg. Serves 10

[TallDrinkOfWater]

I used the Alton Brown one on the FoodTV website this year.

Eggnog from School of Hard Nogs

The only changes I made were, not to separate the eggs (I'm lazy), add a bit more bourbon (4 oz), and to run it through a sieve before chilling.

Quite tasty!  Met with universal acclaim.

I also used Alton's recipe, but left out the bourbon entirely (not a big fan of it, I have to say). Instead I used 4 oz of rum (Appleton V/X), 4 oz of brandy (Clear Creek -- would have used something less expensive if I'd had any on hand), and an oz. or so of homemade pimento dram, for 9+ oz. of booze. Yummy! I overwhipped the whites just a touch I think, but otherwise the only change I'd make next time is to add a little more of the pimento dram.

Another batch this weekend, definitely.

[viva]

This is our family recipe - we also beat the cream and fold in - guess we like our eggnog fluffy. And for those who like their eggnog strong, this one also includes all three cognac, bourbon and rum.


12 eggs, separated
1½ cup superfine sugar
1 qt whole milk
1½ qt heavy cream
2½ cups bourbon (Knob Creek usually)
¾ cup dark rum (Myers)
¼ cup cognac (usually end up using something like Meukow although Dad usually groans at the expense)
Freshly grated nutmeg

Beat egg yolks until thick & pale yellow. Gradually add sugar. Beat in milk & 1 qt cream (with a whisk). Add bourbon, rum, & cognac. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into eggnog. Whip remaining heavy cream until stiff & fold in. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

[Snowy is dead]

Last year a friend looked up george washington's eggnog recipe. took a few days to sit, but was delicious. Mostly brandy for the booze.

Also tried some with southern comfort. It makes me very afraid that it tasted quite good.

[nakji]

I made some for a holiday crowd this year. I used the recipe that you as the first result get if you google "eggnog recipe".

I started making it from scratch when I first moved to Korea, where commercial eggnog is unavailable. I've never looked back. I made it with eggs I bought on the street (usually the freshest here), dosed it up heavily with equal parts rum and bourbon (to kill any latent bird flu - that's after I scrubbed the shells with anti-bacterial soap). Everyone loved it, but it was a shock to everyone at the party from the UK. They claimed never to have heard of it, and kept asking if it was Advocaat. I always thought it was a traditional English punch - it's obviously not a Native American dish. Can anyone shed any light on this?

[slkinsey]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggnog

[nakji]

From Wikipedia:

It is believed that eggnog, or a very similar drink, originated in East Anglia, England. An article[1] 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 the strong ale, with which it was sometimes mixed. Another name for this English drink was "Egg flip".

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."

Thank you, I have e-mailed them all the link.

Although it doesn't really explain why it's not popular there anymore. I assume that most Londoners have fairly free access to milk these days.

[RMChef]

This is a recipe my great grandmother started, my grandmother made, my father also made and I "improved" with premium liquors and good vanilla ice cream.

You can coddle the yolks a bit if you are squeamish about raw eggs, but frankly, if you are, you should probably switch to another drink.


6 large eggs; separated
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 qt half&half
1 qt vanilla ice cream; softened
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup white rum
1/2 cup Jack Daniel's whiskey
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups whipping cream, sweetened with 2 tsp sugar and whipped to soft peak.

Separate eggs. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks well and add sugar. Add the vanilla. Slowly add the brandy allowing it to denature the egg yolk mixture. Add the rest of the liquors slowly, mixing well with each addition. Add the softened vanilla ice cream and mix well. Add the half & half. Add the white wine. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold the whites into the egg nog mixture. Add the whipped cream and fold. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours for the flavor to develop. Store refrigerated for up to 3 days. If the egg nog begins to have a strong liquor taste, add more half & half or milk. Garnish each serving with nutmeg. BEWARE! This is potent!

[cookman]

In this link, there is a story on the NPR website of a family's recipe for egg nog. The recipe begins with beating together 6 whole eggs, 1/2 cup bourbon, 1/3 cup rum, and 1/2 cup sugar. The resulting mixture is then stored in a cool place (not the refrigerator), for one month. At that time it is mixed with sweetened whipped cream, before serving. Supposedly, the aging mellows the alcohol flavor and allows new flavors to develop.

The idea that this could be drinkable intrigued me, so I whipped up a batch, expecting to give it a month to age. After one day, I've got to say that whatever has precipitated on the bottom of the jar is a little scary looking. We'll see....

So my question is: Has anyone else tried this, and lived to talk about it?!

[sygyzy]

I am all for risky things (homemade yogurt, 100 year egg, balut, etc) but I think I'd change my mind after one day. I am not that brave.

[thirtyoneknots]

My first instinct if I were going to attempt something like this would be to use the highest proof spirits possible, for greatest preservative effect. Wouldn't be too hard to get some barrel-proof Bourbon and some Demerara 151 rum. I've never had it myself but Advocaat is basically eggs preserved in liquor, no? I'd think that's essentially what you're making here.

-Andy

[Robert Heugel]

After practically writing a novel on eggs in cocktails last night, my opinion is that this isn't a good idea. I am sure that somebody has done this and not gotten sick, but I've seen people live through a bunch of stupid stuff thanks to reality tv.

Eggs maintain their integrity because of their concealed environment, which once broken allows for the quick deterioration of the egg. Even with the high-proof liquor, I would expect this to end badly for a couple of reasons. Eggs are not like fruit, they contain high levels of protein that cannot be preserved by the addition of alcohol; formaldehyde yes, but not rum. I might be wrong about that because I am about as far from a scientist as you can get, but I think the distinction s noteworthy.

Second, unless the eggs are going to just be dropped into the nog, once agitated the egg's proteins begin to regroup near air, creating the egg foam we see on drinks such as the pisco sour. The same will occur in egg nog, though the foam may not be as developed without the extreme shaking. Either way, the egg will rise to the surface, which in my opinion is just beginning for bacteria growth. True, the egg does function as an emulsifier, but the proteins also tend to gravitate to the surface when agitated.

As you can tell from my blog, I love eggs, but even this seems to be a bit too extreme for me. I am sure that someone has figured out how to make this work, as we do have advocaat, but I wouldn't try and imitate them in a million years. Just my thoughts, though I am unsure how accurate they are.