Amazingly Good Eggnog Food

EGGNOG

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.
• Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.
• Cook's Note: For cooked eggnog, follow procedure below.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream and nutmeg and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Then return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, pour into a medium mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill.
• In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the mixer running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture.

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.

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.