Boozy Rich Eggnog From A Cooked Base

Total Time: 72 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 72 hrs Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 25
• 1 quart milk
• 1 vanilla beans or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 12 egg yolks
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup dark rum
• 2 cups bourbon
• 1 cup cognac or 1 cup other brandy
• 8 egg whites
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 quart cream
• freshly grated nutmeg

Recipe

• 1 for base: in a heavy medium-sized saucepan, barely boil the milk with the vanilla bean, which has been split lengthwise, scraped with the back edge of a knife and added to the milk--seeds, pod, and all (if using vanilla extract, you'll add it after eggnog base has cooked).
• 2 meanwhile, place a large fine-mesh strainer over a bowl set in a large bowl of ice.
• 3 beat the yolks and sugar together in the top of a double boiler, by hand or with electric beaters, until thick and smooth, about 1 minute.
• 4 whisk in the hot vanilla milk.
• 5 cook in the double boiler set over simmering water, stirring constantly all around the bottom and corners with a rubber or wooden spatula.
• 6 in time, foam will subside.
• 7 the eggnog base is done when it coats a wooden spoon without bare spots, 12 to 15 minutes.
• 8 immediately pour through strainer, stirring to cool.
• 9 when cool to the touch, slowly whisk in all liquors (if using vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean, add this now, too).
• 10 store eggnog base in refrigerator overnight or up to three days, to ripen.
• 11 to complete eggnog: at serving, remove vanilla bean and pour eggnog base into a large punch bowl.
• 12 beat egg whites with 3 tablespoons sugar to stiff peaks; fold into eggnog mixture.
• 13 beat cream to stiff peaks and fold it in, too.
• 14 let some lumps of the cream and egg whites float on surface.
• 15 sprinkle with nutmeg.
• 16 serve immediately, using a ladle.