Cooke Family 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.

EGGNOG BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Beat the butter and 1/2 cup of the sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the cream, rum extract, cloves, egg yolk and 2 teaspoons of the nutmeg and beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the dough just combines.
• Roll the dough into twenty-four 1-inch balls using a 1/2-ounce ice cream scoop or a tablespoon. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons nutmeg in a small bowl. Roll the balls in the spiced sugar to coat, and then arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until golden brown at the edges, about 14 minutes. Remove the baking sheets from the oven, place on wire racks and immediately press a chocolate drop in the center of each cookie while it is still soft and warm. Do not move the cookies until the chocolate has completely set and the cookies are cool, at least 1 hour.

EGGNOG COOKIES

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Sift together the flour, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and granulated sugar and beat until creamy and light, 5 to 8 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula so all of the butter and sugar fully integrate. Beat in the egg yolks, one by one, and then the vanilla. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until it forms a soft dough. Using plastic wrap, shape the dough into one log 10 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
• Bake the cookies: Unwrap and use a sharp knife to cut the logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. In every other cookie, cut a hole about 1 inch in diameter with a small round cutter. Bake the cookies until light golden in color, 12 to 14 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Make the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar and butter in the bowl of the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream and rum and mix until blended.
• Make the dusting sugar: In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, nutmeg, cayenne and lemon and orange zests. Set aside.
• Assemble the cookies: After the cookies have cooled, put the icing on the cookies without holes (about 1 teaspoon per cookie) and top each with a cookie with a hole to make sandwiches. Don't press down. Place the tops on gently so the icing doesn't leak out of the sides.
• Make the caramel: Heat the granulated sugar in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all of the sugar melts. Once melted, do not stir but swirl the pan until the sugar is amber, about 6 minutes.
• Drizzle each cookie with the caramel and top with the dusting sugar.

EASY NO-COOK EGGNOG

Steps:

• 1. Place all ingredients in blender container; cover. Blend 1 minute or until well mixed.
• 2. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

EGGNOG CRINKLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, dry pudding mix, baking powder and nutmeg. Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in rum extract. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing well after each addition. Stir in chocolate.
• Refrigerate 30 min.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Cover baking sheets with parchment. Shape dough into 50 (1-inch) balls; roll, one at a time, in powdered sugar until all balls are heavily coated with sugar. Reroll balls, if necessary, to use all the powdered sugar.
• Place, 2 inches apart, on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake 8 to 10 min. or until centers of cookies are set and bottoms are lightly browned. Cool 1 min. Remove cookies to wire racks; cool completely.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-EGGNOG CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Beat dry cake mix, eggnog, oil, egg whites and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg in large bowl with mixer until blended. Stir in chocolate.
• Spoon into 22 paper-lined muffin pan cups.
• Bake 18 to 20 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers of cupcakes comes out clean; cool completely.
• Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, butter and rum extract in large bowl with mixer until blended. Beat in sugar, 1 cup at a time. Whisk in COOL WHIP. Refrigerate at least 30 min. or until ready to use.
• Spoon frosting into freezer-weight resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Cut small piece off one bottom corner of bag. Insert tip of bag into top of each cupcake to pipe about 1 Tbsp. frosting into center of cupcake.
• Frost cupcakes with remaining frosting. Sprinkle lightly with remaining nutmeg.

CREAMY COOKED EGGNOG

Steps:

• Use a saucepan or stock pot large enough to hold 2 quarts.
• In saucepan, beat together the eggs and sugar until smooth.
• Stir in 2 cups milk.
• Cook over medium low heat, whisking or stirring frequently because as this mixture begins to get hot it will easily scorch to the bottom of the pan if you aren't careful.
• Cook until mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon and reaches 160° on a food thermometer.
• Remove from heat.
• Slowly add the 2 cups whipping cream or half& half while whisking together until smooth.
• Add vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and combine until incorporated.
• At this point, you may taste test (carefully- it will still be very hot) and if it doesn't seem sweet enough for your taste, add extra sugar.
• I use a total of 3/4 cup sugar because we like it sweet.
• You may also add more nutmeg at this point if you like a strong nutmeg flavor.
• Pour into a pitcher or container.
• Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled- several hours or overnight.
• Serve garnished with your choice of toppings: whipped cream, chocolate curls, maraschino cherries, cinnamon sticks or peppermint sticks.
• Brandy, rum, whiskey or flavored liqueur's may be added before serving if desired.
• This recipe makes 6 cups Egg Nog.

COOKIES & CREAM EGGNOG

Steps:

• Place eggnog and 10 cookies in blender container; cover. Blend until smooth.
• Pour into 8 glasses; top evenly with the whipped topping.
• Serve each topped with 1 of the remaining 8 cookies.

CHRISTMAS EGGNOG COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients together.
• In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until it resembles a grainy paste.
• Add eggnog, vanilla and egg yolks and beat at medium speed until smooth.
• Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until blended. Do not overmix.
• Drop by teaspoons onto an ungreased baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Lightly sprinkle nutmeg over the unbaked cookies.
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until bottoms turn a light brown. Transfer from pans immediately to cool.