Joy to the world...the eggnog’s here! Sing it with me.
This time of year brings all kinds of delicious treats, including the much-loved (or much loathed) eggnog. What many people may not realize is that store-bought eggnog is often filled with stabilizers, artificial eggs, and high-fructose corn-syrup, making it more of a fakenog than an eggnog. How’s that for a holiday downer?
But dispair not. Make your own (it’s a cinch, I swear!) and you’ll be feeling good well into the holiday season. This recipe is authentically noggy with vibed-up spice combinations, including cinnamon and nutmeg.
Bonus: Nutmeg is known to boost serotonin and dopamine (the happy and calming neurotransmitters). After a romp in the snow or a day on the mountain, this lightened-up nog is sure to bring you joy. Spiced whisky or rum optional (maybe).
Ingredients
3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 cup coconut milk (or more almond milk)
4 Tbsp maple syrup
3 extra-large eggs
30 - 35 drops vanilla stevia (found at health food stores or
online)
1½ tsp vanilla
2 cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1¼ - 1½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnishing (optional) *Do not use pre-ground.
Method
1. Warm the almond milk, coconut milk, and maple syrup, over medium-low heat until the maple syrup has dissolved and the milk is steaming, but not boiling. Keep an eye on it and remove it if you start to see bubbles forming.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs together thoroughly in a medium heat-proof bowl. Temper the eggs by very slowly adding small amounts of the milk mixture into the eggs until you have poured in about half. Be sure that you are whisking constantly.
3. Pour the egg mixture back into the pot with the remaining milk and whisk to combine. Add in the vanilla stevia, vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg (starting with 1¼ teaspoons) and whisk again. Cook again over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches 160°F with a thermometer (the FDA’s suggested temperature to kill bacteria, including salmonella). It will thicken up. Taste for sweetness and level of nutmeg.
4. Remove from heat, then strain through a mesh strainer to remove the cloves and any solids that may have formed. Place in a glass jar and chill overnight. The flavours will come together and change significantly.
5. Serve in a short glass on its own with ice, or with an ounce of spiced whiskey or rum, if you like, and freshly grated nutmeg and cinnamon on top.
