Eggnog

Eggnog is typically a holiday indulgence, but what if—what if!—you could have it whenever you wanted? Well, now you can!

My husband loves eggnog, but he missed out on drinking the creamy, rich, alcoholic beverage this season, because he was off serving our country in far, far-away lands. So when he came back we had the idea to make it ourselves; it can't be that hard, right? Right! The drink below was just as flavorful and spot-on with the store-bought variety, a whole lot cheaper, and surprisingly easy to make.

So if you feel like celebrating the holiday season all over again, any time of year, whip up some eggnog !

*There's a very similar recipe that uses uncooked eggs, and while the majority of eggs today are pasteurized, we couldn't verify on the carton that ours were. So at my request, my husband made the cooked version.

Eggnog

adapted from Alton Brown

Ingredients: 

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 pint whole milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3 ounces bourbon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (pre-ground works fine)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 egg whites

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar; continue to beat until it's completely dissolved. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine milk, half-and-half, cinnamon, and nutmeg; bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and very gradually, temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Return everything to pot; cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from heat, stir in bourbon, pour into a medium mixing bowl; set in the refrigerator to chill.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. With mixer running, gradually add 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk egg whites into the chilled mixture. Chill in fridge and enjoy!