This time of year always makes me nostalgic for when I was a kid. Every year we would set up our Christmas tree
the day after Thanksgiving, listen to Handel's Messiah
and other Christmas music, drink Egg Nog, and decorate the tree as a family.
Six years ago we lost my dad to pancreatic cancer. It was discovered at Stage IV, so if you know anything about cancer, you know that Stage IV is petty much unbeatable. We lost my dad the Saturday after Thanksgiving the year he died, so Thanksgiving is always a flood of memories, for better and for worse, happy and sad.
This year, the anniversary of his passing fell on a Saturday again, and I made homemade egg nog in his honor as we set up the tree.
Homemade Egg Nog
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup Marker's Mark 46 bourbon
- 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
Directions
- Add eggs and egg yolk, sugar, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Whisk until well combined. Whisk slowly while adding in the milk.
- Turn the heat on the stove to lowest setting.
- Whisk continuously as to not burn mixture.
- Heat until a thermometer in the mixture reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and the mixture has begun to thicken; this will be about 25 minutes of heating.
- Remove from heat and turn off the stove.
- Strain mixture through a mesh strainer into large glass pitcher to remove any bits of cooked egg.
- Add bourbon and vanilla extract; stir to combine.
- Cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- When you are ready to serve the egg nog, whip the heavy cream in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks are formed. Fold whipped cream into egg custard mixture until combined.
- Serve in glasses and garnish with nutmeg sprinkled on top. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
. Whisk until well combined. Whisk slowly while adding in the milk.
continuously as to not burn mixture.
in the mixture reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and the mixture has begun to thicken; this will be about 25 minutes of heating.
into large 
to remove any bits of cooked egg.
.
with an 
until soft peaks are formed. Fold whipped cream into egg custard mixture until combined.
and garnish with 
The best part about the recipe is that after you strain the liquid from the stove, you can set a little aside and made a non-alcoholic version. My kids love egg nog, but obviously, I'm not giving them the version with the bourbon. So this allows me to set some aside just for them with out making two separate batches of egg nog. If you do set some aside for a non-alcoholic version of the egg nog, you can reduce the amount a bourbon you add to the egg nog.
There are also plenty of recipes out there that don't call for cooking the eggs, but I can't get behind the uncooked eggs; I'm too much of a food safety nut for that.
Homemade Egg Nog
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup Marker's Mark 46 bourbon
- 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
Instructions
-
Add eggs and egg yolk, sugar, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Whisk until well combined. Whisk slowly while adding in the milk.
-
Turn the heat on the stove to lowest setting.
-
Whisk continuously as to not burn mixture.
-
Heat until a thermometer in the mixture reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and the mixture has begun to thicken; this will be about 25 minutes of heating.
-
Remove from heat and turn off the stove.
-
Strain mixture through a mesh strainer into large glass pitcher to remove any bits of cooked egg.
-
Add bourbon and vanilla extract; stir to combine.
-
Cover with plastic wrap.
-
Refrigerate overnight.
-
When you are ready to serve the egg nog, whip the heavy cream in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks are formed. Fold whipped cream into egg custard mixture until combined.
-
Serve in glasses and garnish with nutmeg sprinkled on top. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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Sorry for your loss. My dad was a big eggnog fan, most definitely the non-bourbon variety. I’m with you regarding uncooked eggs. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks, Bill. My dad would drink both kids–we only got the non-bourbon kind when he shared his. 🙂
I think that’s a lovely way to honor and remember your dad. I would love it if you would link this up to Tipsy Tuesday at Grey is the New Black.
Hi, Pam thanks so much. And I just added it to the Tipsy Tuesday. I’ll have to remember that! 🙂
My condolences. I lost my dad in 2011, just shortly before Memorial Day. I like your blog, too.
This look delicious and warming to the body. I sure could use a drink like this tonight on such a cold evening.
Thank you for the memory of your father. He must have been pretty special. I’m sorry he’s not still here to enjoy your egg nog.
I wouldn’t think of making eggnog without Makers Mark and I want those cups. Ha ha. This sound like a really good recipe.