With Christmas nearly upon us, the serious questions loom. Top of the list: eggnog – what exactly is it, and is it any good?
First, then: eggnog, the holiday-season drink that crops up in endless American Christmas movies, is traditionally made with double cream, milk, sugar, raw eggs, nutmeg and alcohol – usually rum or brandy, to assist preservation. As for the second question, the answer is an overwhelming yes. It’s delicious.
Originally derived from sack posset – a strong, thick English drink consisting of eggs, milk and a fortified wine or ale, and dating back to at least the 17th century – eggnog is perhaps most popular in the United States, where you can buy a creamy mix in cartons from the supermarket, ready to add the alcohol to at home.
The amount of alcohol might make you do a double take, but it's necessary for the preservation – and for the complex taste it imparts
If you want to jump aboard the eggnog train in Ireland, you’ll have to make it yourself. Luckily, it’s simple to make and the rewards are plentiful.
The raw eggs shouldn’t pose a problem, as Irish eggs are among the safest in the world, but, to be safe, make sure you use eggs that fall under the Bord Bia quality-assurance scheme. The alcohol is technically optional, but without it your eggnog will lack the warming kick that makes this such a luxurious Christmas treat; the eggnog will also lose its ability to age, so will need to be consumed within three or four days.
Having dabbled with numerous recipes, I've decided that my favourite by far is by the American TV chef Alton Brown, whose "aged eggnog" lasts for weeks – months, even – if refrigerated properly. The amount of alcohol might make you do a double take, but it's necessary for the preservation – and for the complex taste it imparts.
AGED EGGNOG
Adapted from Alton Brown's recipe
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
12 large Bord Bia Quality Assured eggs
450g sugar
1tsp freshly grated nutmeg
475ml full-fat milk
475ml single cream
475ml double cream
250ml Jamaican rum
250ml brandy
250ml bourbon or whiskey
¼tsp sea salt
Method
1 Separate the eggs; keep the whites for another use.
2 Beat the yolks with the sugar and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl until the mixture lightens in colour and falls off the whisk in a solid ribbon.
3 Combine the milk and cream with the alcohol and salt in a second bowl, then slowly beat this into the egg mixture.
4 Move to a large glass jar (or to a couple of smaller jars or bottles) and refrigerate for at least two weeks. Alton Brown recommends waiting a month – or, better, two. (He also claims you might even be able to age his recipe for a year, but we don't recommend trying that just yet.) And, yes, you can also drink your eggnog right away.
5 Serve in mugs or cups topped with a little extra nutmeg grated on top.
