Confession: I love eggnog. Even when I thought “real” eggnog came from a Meadow Gold carton, I downed that mofo like it was going out of season (oh… I guess it was…). However, now that I’m on the East Coast, I have the sudden urge to be more traditional and that means not getting that thick yellow stuff off the shelf. Instead, I decided to live dangerously (yes, we’re talking about salmonella dangerous) and whip up some homemade eggnog–the real kind, with the raw eggs and all.
After finding a highly-rated eggnog recipe from Alton Brown on the Food Network website, I was surprised to learn that traditional eggnog used raw eggs. With today’s bacteria fear-mongering, even I took a moment to say “what?? raw eggs? that doesn’t sound safe” to myself. Five web searches later and a trip to the grocery store, I felt confident that I had minimized my chance of getting sick from drinking raw egg and decided to go with the raw egg recipe even when there were numerous ones that showed you how to temper the egg. Oh, and did I mention that I’m lazy?
Alton’s original eggnog recipe is written for a party serving (or someone looking for a huge stomach ache), so I downsized it to a single-serving. It is a bit much it bring out two bowls and a mixer for a single drink, but if you regard eggnog like a fine drink or a decadent dessert like myself, it’s well worth it.
Single-serving (one cup) Homemade Eggnog Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 dashes freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 dash cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp sugar
Directions
Use a handmixer with a whisk attachement to beat the egg yolk until it lightens in color. Gradually add the 1 tbsp sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk and nutmeg and stir to combine.
Place the egg whites in a separate bowl and beat to soft peaks then gradually add the 1 tsp of sugar while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
Whisk the egg white into the milk mixture. Chill a few minutes or down it immediately like me.