Eggnog Recipe

Origin: Britain      Period: Traditional

Eggnog is a classic Christmas drink that has its origins somewhere in the late seventeenth century. It is related to the various milk and wine punches that were popular in Europe from the Middle Ages onwards. There are two tales as to how the drink gained its name. The first of these derives from rum, which was commonly called 'grog' so that the etymology of eggnog is that it's a drink made from 'egg and grog' which was shortened to 'egg-n-grog' and soon became 'eggnog'. The other possible derivation comes from the 'noggin' a small carved wooden mug that was used to serve drinks at the table in taverns. Eggnog itself came from the Medieval 'Dry sack posset' which was an English mix of Sherry and milk. But this was adapted to include eggs and we had 'egg in a noggin' which became shortened to 'eggnog'. Of course the truth might be a mixture of the two etymologies so we had 'egg and grog in a noggin' which was far too much of a mouthful! In Victorian times eggnog was invariably made in large quantities and was nearly always used as a drink for social gatherings. This is why eggnog became particularly associated as a Christmas drink.

Ingredients:

6 large eggs
150g sugar
360ml brandy
120ml rum
1l milk
1l single cream
90g icing sugar
nutmeg to sprinkle

Eggnog Preparation:

Method:

This is a recipe for a very rich eggnog that's a Christmas speciality! Initially separate the egg yolks from he whites. Beat the yolks slowly whilst adding the sugar in a steady stream. Continue beating until the mixture is pale and golden. Then add the brandy and rum and beat in the milk and half the cream. Set this mixture aside in the fridge.

Meanwhile, just before serving whisk the egg whites until stif and fold them into the eggnog mixture. Whip the remaining cream and icing sugar together until thick. Top each glass of eggnog wit the whipped cream and sprinkle the top with nutmeg. This will give you eight servings.

For a non-alcoholic version, omit the cream and substitute orange juice for the alcohol. Add a dash of vanilla to taste.

Find more Christmas Recipes Here

Read: Recipe Articles and Reviews

More British recipes...

More European recipes...

More drinks recipes...

More Traditional recipes...

More recipes for Eggs...

More cocktail recipes...

Are any of the terms used here unfamiliar, do you want to translate from British to American cookery terms? If so then this Glossary of US and UK Cookery Terms will help you.

Need to convert any units on this site?

As a guide 1 US cup of flour = 4 1/2 oz = 140g (this applies to breadcrumbs, ground almonds etc
1 US cup of butter/margarine or sugar = 7 oz = 200g

For temperature conversions (Celsius, gas mark, Farenheit) go to the Temperature conversion page.
For mass conversions (grammes, cups, spoons, ounces etc) go to the Mass/Weight conversion page.
For temperature conversions (litres, cups, spoons, fluid ounces etc) go to the Volume conversion page.
You can also see more cookery terms and meanings as well as ingredient descriptions at the Cooks' glossary