Eggnog seems like a touchy subject. Either you love it or hate it.
I have always been in the hate it category. Nothing about it was a temptation and frankly when it was pulled out at the holidays I wanted to just puke.
My hubby on the other hand loves it. This time of year rolls around and he is always wanting to have some in the house.
I came across this recipe from Martha Stewart and I thought maybe I need to retry eggnog and give it a chance. Especially because Martha is amazing!
Well let me say ladies and gentlemen...this was AMAZING! I am now firmly in the eggnog love it camp (at least if it's homemade) and plan to make this every year. It was delightful with just a hint of peppermint and really no egg flavor (that's where the hate part came in). It is so creamy and delicious that my eggnog hating children have even changed their minds. So go ahead and make some and see if you change your mind.
Peppermint Eggnog
(click here for printable version)
6 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp more sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
4 cups whole milk
12 peppermint candy canes, broken into pieces
3 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
Peppermint sticks, for garnish
1. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt, and the extracts in large saucepan over medium-low heat until combined. Pour in milk slowly, whisking until fully incorporated. Raise heat to medium. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 30 to 35 minutes.
2. Pour milk mixture through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Set bowl in ice-water bath; let mixture cool completely. Transfer custard to an airtight container, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
3. Pulse candy canes in a food processor until finely crushed. Sift in a strainer to discard dust. Transfer to a shallow dish.
4. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Let cool 5 minutes. Dip rim of each cup into melted chocolate, then crushed peppermint. Refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes.
5. Remove custard from refrigerator; set aside. Put 1/2 c. cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; mix on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into cold custard until combined. Fill cups with eggnog. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint, and garnish with peppermint sticks; serve and enjoy!
Source: Martha Stewart
