Mrs Big Dubya's Homemade Eggnogg Recipe

Over at Dadcentric, the fellas have been sharing their recipes for holiday cheer -- so here's a favorite from the Dubya house:

EggNogg:

Combine 1 cup of whole milk with 1 cup of heavy cream and set it aside

In a large bowl, whisk together one dozen egg yolks with 1 1/3 cups of sugar and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg -- just until they are well-combined.... don't over-whisk. Notes: Room temperature eggs make separating out the yolks a bit easier on the hands and.... don't waste your time with pre-ground nutmeg.... invest in a microplane and grate it yourself -- once you've had it fresh ground, you'll never use the pre-ground stuff again.

Next, whisk in 2 cups of whole milk, followed by 2 cups of heavy cream -- make sure you get all the stuff up off the bottom of the bowl with the whisk..... that egg/sugar mixture is sticky and tends to get caked on the bottom of the bowl.

Pour contents into large pot/saucepan and place over low/med heat. You'll need to stir it continuously until it thickens. I use a candy thermometer and get the mixture to about 175 degrees.... that gets you the right consistency and ensures the eggs are cooked through. Note: a wooden spoon works well here..... if you choose to use a whisk, you'll end up whipping quite a bit of air into the mixture -- the eggnog will have a frothy almost coolwhip like consistency. Again, make sure you stir up all the "stuff" that cakes on the bottom of the pot -- the egg/sugar mixture tends to settle and stick if you don't stir enough.

Once you get to 175 degrees (or the consistnecy of heavy cream) take off the heat -- don't overheat the mixture.... it will curdle on you. Stir in the reserved whole milk/heavy cream mixture and then pour entire mixture through a strainer and into a pitcher. Put the pitcher in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours.... cover and then chill for a bit longer.

Serve with your favorite booze -- we use Jameson in the Dubya household, but.... Cognac, dark rum or bourbon are favorites -- top with whipped cream and a dusting of fresh ground nutmeg.


Holiday Viewing Guide:
ABC Family
7:00 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys
8:30 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
10:30 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (an encore presentation)
Disney
8:00 Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas