Ingredients
| 2 c. whole milk |
| ½ tsp. ground cardamom |
| ½ tsp. ground nutmeg, plus more for garnish< |
| ½ tsp. ground ginger< |
| 6 eggs separated |
| ¾ c. sugar |
| ½ tsp. kosher salt |
| 1 c. heavy cream |
| 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste |
| Cinnamon sticks for garnish |
Preparation
1. Add the milk, cardamom, nutmeg and ginger to a medium saucepan and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbles form around the edges. Remove the pan from the heat.
2. In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt until frothy and pale yellow. Slowly add the hot milk, one ladleful at a time, to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Adding the milk slowly will keep the eggs from curdling as they start to cook.
3. Pour the milk-and-egg mixture into the saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, 2 to 3 minutes, until it is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the mixture through a fi ne mesh strainer into a large bowl (straining is optional but will result in a smoother drink). Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Cool the mixture to room temperature. Cover the bowl and chill for several hours or overnight.
4. When you’re ready to serve the eggnog, use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment to whip the egg whites on medium for 35 to 45 seconds until foamy, then on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft peaks form; then use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to fold the whites into the eggnog. Ladle the eggnog into glasses and garnish with nutmeg, a cinnamon stick and a dollop of whites if desired.
Read Lisa’s inspiring story from Guideposts’The Joys of Christmas 2022!
Recipe excerpted with permission from The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook by Lisa Steele, published by Harper Horizon 2022; photo by Tina Rupp
