Molasses Rum And Ginger Milk Punch Food

CLARIFIED MILK PUNCH

Steps:

• Heat 2 1/4 cups of water to 208 degrees F. If you have an electric kettle with a temperature setting, great. If not, bring the water to a boil in a saucepan, kill the heat and count to 20. Pour the water over the teabags into a quart vessel and steep 3 minutes before removing the bags. (Do not wring out or squeeze the bags.)
• Add the sugar to the hot tea and stir to dissolve. Then add the port, rum, Allspice Dram, and lemon juice. Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Pour the milk into a glass pitcher and then follow with the tea mixture. (Yes, it will curdle.) Park on counter for 1 hour. Do not shake, stir or molest in any way. Just let the magic happen. Oh, and make sure the tea goes into the milk, not the other way around.
• Line a large, fine-mesh sieve with a commercial-sized coffee filter (we like those made for 1.5-gallon machines) and strain the mixture into a wide, 4-quart container. Once completely filtered, typically about 1 hour, transfer to a quart jar or pitcher and chill to serve. (See Cook's Note.)
• Store tightly sealed in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
• Heat a heavy skillet over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Toast the allspice berries until fragrant, about 1 minute, then roughly crush.
• Combine the rum and crushed allspice berries in a quart-sized glass jar, seal the lid tightly and give it a good shake. Steep for 10 days.
• Strain the allspice-infused rum through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan and add the sugar. Heat over low, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature before storing in a glass jar or bottle.
• Note: Any overproof rum will work here, meaning any rum over 50 percent ABV. But navy-strength rum, typically bottled at 57 percent ABV, is my favorite. Just remember: The higher the ABV of the rum, the higher the ABV of your resulting dram.

HOT MOLASSES MILK PUNCH

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine the sugar, 1 tablespoon water, the molasses, and the ginger, and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring. Add the milk in a stream, whisking, and heat the mixture over moderate heat, stirring until it is hot, but do not let it boil. Stir in the rum, divide the mixture between 2 heated mugs, and sprinkle each drink with some of the nutmeg.

MOLASSES, RUM, AND GINGER MILK PUNCH

Steps:

• In a punch bowl whisk together the molasses and the ginger, whisk in the milk, the half-and-half, the rum, the brandy, and chill the punch, covered, for at least four hours, or until it is very cold. Serve the punch in punch glasses and sprinkle it with the nutmeg.