Homemade Eggnog

By Andrew Zimmern

A rich and creamy holiday drink, eggnog is simple to make at home. It’s worth the extra effort—the store-bought version pales in comparison to the real thing. Serve it plain with a sprinkle of cinnamon, or perfume it with a few tablespoons of bourbon for the adults.

Watch Andrew make this recipe:

Eggnog

Servings: 4

Ingredients

6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground clove
6 slices of fresh ginger
1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, for garnish
Rum or bourbon, for serving (optional)

Instructions

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugars together until light and fluffy.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, cream, salt, nutmeg, clove and ginger. Stir often until the mixture reaches a bare simmer. Remove from heat.

With the stand mixer running, add a third of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously. Repeat, adding in thirds, to temper the eggs. When all of the dairy mixture has been added to the eggs, pour the mixture back into the saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture is slightly thickened, just a few minutes, to set the egg. Pour the eggnog through a strainer into a large bowl or pitcher. Stir in the vanilla. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then refrigerate until chilled. It will thicken some more as it cools—you can thin the eggnog with additional milk if needed.

Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a healthy glug of rum or bourbon for the adults.