Christmas Eggnog

From young to old, Christmas is everyone's favorite time of the year. Children anticipate the arrival of St. Nicholas while adults look forward to the festivities and celebrations with friends and family. But there is no good Christmas without a satisfying cold cup of eggnog, sprinkled with a dash of nutmeg.

Christmas Eggnog is a tradition that came to America from Europe. People drank it at social gatherings, mainly at the upper class gatherings since eggs and milk were scarce at the time in Europe. But when the drink arrived to the America, it became very popular as milk and eggs were plentiful. Americans also added a new ingredient, Rum that was bought from the Caribbean and was less expensive than other liquors. And so, with the abundance of milk, eggs and rum, eggnog became a drink that was affordable for all social classes.

So, why don't you try making your own Eggnog this Christmas? Run to your grocery store, buy the ingredients and surprise your guests with your own Christmas Eggnog. Serve it every year and make it a Christmas tradition!

What you need to make your own Christmas Eggnog

  • 6 eggs + 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup of sugar + 2 tablespoons
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 4 cups of milk
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup of whipped cream
  • Additional grated nutmeg for garnish

To prepare your eggnog, mix your egg, egg yolks, sugar and salt in a pan as you slowly pour milk.

Turn on your burner, place your pan and set the heat low. Stir the mixture continuously until it thickens and reaches 160 degrees F. This should take about 25 to 30 minutes.

Strain the mixture and remove any cooked pieces of egg. Add vanilla extract and nutmeg, pour it into a pitcher and refrigerate it for 4 hours.

When it's ready to serve, add whipped cream to the cold mixture and garnish it with a little dust of nutmeg.

Since this recipe contains no alcohol, it is a perfect drink for your children during the holidays. Also, because it is gently heated and contains no raw eggs, it is good if you have concerns about potential bacteria in the eggs.

Source: About.com