EGGNOG ICE CREAM

Love it or hate it, Eggnog is a part of the holiday season and it ain’t goin’ nowhere.

Living all over the place sometimes means it’s not easy to do things as you normally would. Different people, different mindsets, different languages, food, traditions, you name it. Every country has a way of making the holidays their own.

Today I found out the hard way that eggnog I grew up with doesn’t exist here in Germany. I say “hard way” because after hurriedly googling “German equivalent of eggnog” I spent a full thirty minutes pacing up and down the refrigerated dairy section looking for something called “eierlikör.” I found it in the booze aisle, which should have given me pause for thought, but instead I went through checkout with a bottle of weird looking german eggnog. But, I’ve tried more dubious looking food-products in my life… I wasn’t too worried.

Only problem? Eierlikör is not the equivalent of eggnog… Just like how brauner Zucker is just not the equivalent of brown sugar…

No. Eierlikör is like the boozed up uncle of eggnog. At an overpowering 14% alcohol, it tasted like a powdery custard that burns your tongue. Christmas innocence obliterated!

So, for the first time ever, I made my own eggnog. And it was perfect! Despite the stereotype that good eggnog is difficult to make, there’s actually no big secret to it, especially if you’re used to making custards. It’s pretty easy.

With just a handful of ingredients you probably already have sitting in your pantry, you can make fresh eggnog in a snap.

The bonus is, eggnog is basically the same as a custard you would use for making ice cream. So I threw what was left into the ice cream machine and made an extremely easy eggnog ice cream.

Happy Holidays!!

Ingredients:

(Makes about a half quart)

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon whole milk ( 175 mL )

1/3 cup sugar ( 65 grams )

1/2 cup + 1/3 cup heavy cream (200 mL)

3 large egg yolks

tiny pinch of kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg* (small pinch) (to taste)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (small pinch) (to taste)

1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla bean** (5 mL)

Bowl of ice water

 *use a light hand with nutmeg

**optional

Tools:

Heavy Bottom Pot or Double boiler (Don’t have a Double Boiler? Don’t worry, just place a medium bowl over the top of a pot with a an inch or two of water simmering in the bottom.)

Whisk

Sieve

Large bowl & smaller bowl (ice bath)

Wooden Spoon or Heat-resistant Spatula

Thermometer*

*Ideal, not essential

Instructions:

 1. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. (This will become an ice bath for cooling the custard later on.)

2. Set your heavy bottom pot or double boiler over medium high heat. Add the milk, sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar and salt have melted and the dairy mix begins to steam. 

3. Pour your heavy cream into a medium bowl and set aside. Keep your sieve nearby.

4. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl.  Once it is uniform, add a  tablespoon of the steaming dairy mixture while still whisking. Repeat until you have added 3 - 4 tablespoons of the dairy mixture to the yolks. Add the yolk mixture to the rest of the dairy mixture, stirring continuously with a spatula or wooden spoon, making sure to mix the bottom as well. The custard will be done cooking once the mixture is thick enough to glaze the back of the spoon. Run your finger across the back of the spoon. If the custard remains separated, it is done cooking.

5. Strain the custard into bowl of heavy cream and stir. Stir in the nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla (if using).

6. Float the bowl in your ice bath and stir until cool. (5-ish minutes)

7. Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least four hours. Letting it sit even longer, perhaps overnight, is even better.

8. When you are ready to churn, taste your chilled custard to determine if you want to add more nutmeg or cinnamon. Then, follow the instructions of your ice cream maker. Pour your chilled custard into your machine and let it churn until it has the texture you desire.

9. Store the ice cream in a pre-chilled, air-tight container and freeze! 

This Eggnog Ice Cream will keep for about one week.

Notes :

+ Use a light hand when cooking with Nutmeg. Too much nutmeg will make people sick. (My Aunt Anne dropped an entire nutmeg into a recipe once by accident and it did not go well for them) It is also one of those spices that can amplify in strength over time.

+ For an adult version (meaning with alcohol) of this eggnog ice cream recipe, go here!

Great pairings for Eggnog:

Sweet: Cookies, Gingerbread, Breakfast Breads (Pancakes, French Toast, Cinnamon Buns), Cakes (light to rich), Cold Season Baking spices, Bread Pudding, Cranberries, Pecans, Caramel, Chocolate, Speculoos

Savory: Holiday Roasts, Savory Hors d’oeuvres, Pretzels, Popcorn

Beverages: Brandy, Rum, Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Bourbon, Mulled Wine,