How to make Traditional Homemade Eggnog

How to Make Traditional Homemade Eggnog
Step by Step, with Photos!

Click here for a PDF print version of the instructions

Do you love eggnog, but do not want all the chemicals, artificial colors and flavorings in store-bought eggnog? Then this simple traditional eggnog recipe is easy to make, natural and delicious.

You can certainly use all organic ingredients; and you can also use pasteurized eggs, which means you needn't worry about getting food poisoning (salmonella) as you would with traditional homemade eggnog which uses raw eggs!

Making eggnog is especially easy with these step-by-step instructions, complete with photographs to illustrate each step. This makes almost a gallon of eggnog (yes you can reduce the recipe proportionally to make less, or increase it to make more.

Ingredients and Supplies

• 8 fresh eggs - I prefer pasteurized eggs for safety,
  or you can also use 1 pint of egg beaters (or similar whole egg substitute) These are natural egg products made from the egg whites, without the yolks. The yolks contain the fat and cholesterol, while the whites are a simple protein!)
• The whites of 8 eggs - again, you can either buy an additional 8 eggs (to those above) or find egg whites already separated in the dairy section in a carton. Of course,
• 1 quart of milk - 4 cups (950ml) - you can use whole, low-fat, or fat-free milk, and of course, organic is fine!
• 1 pint (475 ml) of half and half - this provides the flavor and richness of heavy whipping cream, but without the fat, cholesterol and calories!
• 1 cup (200 g) of Sugar (of course, if you are deabetic or trying to reduce calories, you can use Truvia (or toher Stevia equivalent) sucralose or other non-calorie sweetener). You can use any sugar alternative sweetener of your choice: nutrasweet/Aspartame, Stevia, Fructose, grown pine bark, whatever.... B
• Ground nutmeg, to add flavor, About 1/4 teaspoon, normally.

Booze: you skipped right to this part, didn't you? OK, if you want it to be essentially fat free and sugar free, you can't add liquor. But, if you do add liquor, at least you've made a healthier and lower calorie drink that it would be!

• Fifth bourbon (optional) - Use 2 cups (400ml)
• A pint of white rum (optional) - Use 1/2 cup (100ml)

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Directions

Step 1 - Beat the pint of egg whites

Be sure to use a clean dry bowl; any contaminants will make the eggs less likely to whip up! But the booze down - no sampling (yet)

Step 2 - Mix in the 1 cup of sugar or other sweetener.

Now, in a separate bowl, mix the remaining half of the sugar with the 8 eggs or 1 pint of egg beaters.

Step 3 - Slowly mix the egg / sugar mix into the egg white mix

Gently mix the egg and sugar mixture into the beaten egg whites, pouring slowly (the goal is to keep the fluffiness of the whites).

Step 4 - Now, you boozy lush, yes, you may add your rum now, if desired

Slowly pour the rum into the egg mixture and gently stir it in.

Step 5 - Add the milk

Slowly pour the 1 quart of fat free milk into the mixture and gently (you don't want to collapse the foam of the egg whites more than necessary) stir it in.

Step 6 - Adding the bourbon (and stop slurring your words! I told you not to sample it)

Slowly pour the bourbon into the mixture and gently stir it in.

Step 7 - Add the half-and-half

Pour the 1 pint of fat-free half-and-half into the egg mixture and gently stir it in.

Step 8 - Sprinkle in the nutmeg

At 1/8 teaspoon to the nog and then after filling mugs, just sprinkle a little more on top as a garnish! Yes, of course the nutmeg is optional. But it is the traditional spice of eggnog!

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Other tips:

• Nutmeg may be replaced with fresh mace as it gives a pleasant citrus-like taste.
• If you aren't a fan of bourbon replace it with brandy or dark rum.
• You can always make a non-alcoholic eggnog by just omitting the rum and the bourbon. Then folks can add liquor to their cup as they like.
• After a while, the mixture starts to separate to make a heavy fluid with a fluffy head, so when serving it make sure you get a representative sample of each.
• Be gentle during the entire mixing process. Don't over-beat the eggs or the cream; the whipped cream will begin to taste like butter when whipped too long.
• The traditional explanation concerning the safety of eggnog (that the liquor is strong enough to kill whatever problems the eggs introduce) is false. See the source below for further discussion on the topic.
• Nutmeg allergies are rather rare, and are unrelated to peanut and tree nut allergies. If you have a family history of allergies, and have not handled fresh nutmeg before, grind it with a friend or family member nearby who can get help if you have a serious allergic reaction.

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