Snowman Eggnog Food

EGGNOG SNOWMAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Add 1/3 cup eggnog, egg, and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed. Add flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed.
• Divide dough in half; wrap each half in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour until firm.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Combine powdered sugar and enough eggnog for desired spreading consistency in small bowl; mix well. Remove one-third of frosting; divide into 2 small bowls. Tint each bowl of frosting with food color as desired.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-half at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 3- to 4-inch snowman cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool completely.
• Frost snowmen with white frosting. Use tinted frosting to decorate cookies, as desired. Add miniature chocolate chips for eyes and buttons.

SNOWMAN EGGNOG

Steps:

• Whisk the eggs, egg yolk and sugar in a bowl until combined. Heat the milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming; do not boil. Remove from the heat. Whisk 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, then whisk the egg mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and a thermometer registers 165 degrees F, about 5 minutes. (Do not boil or the eggs will curdle.)
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl and stir in the vanilla and nutmeg. Let cool at room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.
• Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until just melted. Arrange four 8- to 10-ounce glasses (or lowball glasses) on a workspace. Using the tip of your pinky or a small paintbrush dipped in chocolate, paint 3 buttons and two arms on the inside of each glass.
• If desired, stir rum into the chilled eggnog mixture. Divide the eggnog evenly among the glasses. Whisk the remaining 1 1/2 cups heavy cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip, and fill the bag with whipped cream. Pipe a generous swirl of whipped cream on each glass of eggnog to make the snowmen's heads. Directly above each row of snowman buttons, place an apricot wedge into each whipped cream head to form a nose. Place two mini chips above each nose to form eyes. Serve immediately.

EGGNOG

Steps:

• Put the sugar in a saucepan with 75ml water. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved, then cool and chill.
• Beat the yolks with the vanilla until smooth. Add the condensed milk, brandy and cooled sugar syrup, mixing well.
• Pour into a jug and chill for at least 2 hrs. Serve within 24 hrs, over ice.