TGIF - I Need A Drink - Eggnog

Eggnog is synonym of Christmas and holidays. It's been around since the Colonial times and to me  means tradition and family. I got this recipe from WWW.thelatinkitchen.com, hope you like it.

8 egg yolks

2/3 cup sugar (plus 1 tablespoon)

1 quart milk

1 pint heavy cream

1 vanilla bean

1 inch piece ginger root, peeled and sliced thinly

2 teaspoons nutmeg (plus more for garnish)

2 teaspoons orange zest

1 cup rum or whiskey

8 egg whites

Place egg yolks in a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until yolks are creamy, pale yellow, and doubled in volume – about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

While beater is on, sprinkle 2/3 cups sugar over egg yolks and beat until combined.

Cut vanilla bean in half and scrape out seeds inside with the back of a knife.

Place vanilla seeds and beanstalks plus milk, cream, ginger, nutmeg and orange zest in a medium saucepan.

Slowly bring to a gentle boil over low heat, stirring often. Remove from heat once gentle boil has been reached.

Temper 1/4 cup of hot milk into yolk mixture one tablespoon at a time, taking care to whisk yolks while adding hot liquid.

Add tempered yolk mixture to milk mixture slowly; constantly mix milk during this process.

Return to heat over a low flame and heat until mixture reaches 160˚F on a candy thermometer or until it thickly coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Remove from heat; place in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight to cool.

Remove from refrigerator and pour mixture through a mess sieve to strain out vanilla bean stalks, ginger and zest; discard.

Add rum or whiskey to milk, stirring well to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk room temperature egg whites with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until they have tripled in volume and you have soft peaks.

This will take 2 to 2 1/2 minutes depending on hand mixer.

Sprinkle remaining one-tablespoon sugar over egg whites and continue to beat until they form stiff peaks.

Gently fold egg whites into milk/alcohol mixture with a spatula, making sure all lumps are mixed in.

Serve immediately with a dusting of nutmeg.