The Very Best Eggnog Ever Recipes

AMAZINGLY GOOD EGGNOG

Steps:

• Combine milk, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and cinnamon in a saucepan, and heat over lowest setting for 5 minutes. Slowly bring milk mixture to a boil.
• In a large bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Whisk together until fluffy. Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into the eggs. Pour mixture into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes, or until thick. Do not allow mixture to boil. Strain to remove cloves, and let cool for about 1 hour.
• Stir in rum, cream, 2 teaspoon vanilla, and nutmeg. Refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.

BEST EVER EGGNOG

Steps:

• Seperate eggs into 2 glass bowls-yolks in one-whites in another.
• Beat yolks with 1 1/2 cups sugar until thick and creamy-reserve the remaining 1/4 cup.
• Wash and DRY beaters and whip the whites until stiff, beat in the reserved sugar and continue until the whites hold their peaks.
• In a large punch bowl combine yolks and whites by mixing gently on low.
• Add the cream 2 cups at a time, stirring gently.
• Stir in the booze, gently.
• Sprinkle 2 t's of the nutmeg on top.
• Let sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours-a yummy crust will form.
• Serve in glasses and offer a dash of the remaining nutmeg.

THE VERY BEST EGGNOG, EVER

Steps:

• Combine milk and spices including vanilla bean in a heavy saucepan and let them infuse over lowest possible heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine yolks and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until well mixed.
• Bring milk just to a boil and very gradually whisk it into the yolk mixture. Do this a few tablespoons at a time at first, stir very well before adding more hot milk (this is called tempering the egg yolks and prevents them from overcooking and curdling). Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring steadily with a wooden spoon, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until foam subsides and mixture thickens to consistency of heavy cream. Mixture should thickly coat the back of a wooden spoon. Do not boil, or mixture will curdle. Keep the heat at medium.
• Strain mixture into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Stir in half-and-half (or the other substitutions mentioned above), vanilla extract, nutmeg and rum and brandy if using. If you choose you can leave the alcohol out.
• Refrigerate eggnog until cold, at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Just before serving, dust top of eggnog with additional freshly grated nutmeg.
• Note: "half-and-half" is NOT a mixture of half cream and half milk, but it is equal in butterfat content to a mixture of 1/4 cream and 3/4 milk.