Boozy maple eggnog

If you’re not the imbibing type, or the idea of raw eggs turns your stomach, this isn’t the recipe for you. But if you’re fond of a drink and like to try new things, then this traditional uncooked egg nog might be right up your alley.

We all know raw eggs can carry lots of nasty things (like salmonella), but very few bacteria can survive the presence of alcohol. If you don’t believe me google it – it’s fascinating. Lots of recipes actually suggest aging eggnog for weeks (and even months) – but it’s still raw eggs, so personally I wouldn’t go past a week. The longer the nog sits the more the flavors blend and the more it naturally thickens, so definitely let it sit for at least a few hours, and ideally overnight before you have a taste.

If you’re going to let your nog age for more than a day, then freeze the whites until you’re ready to use them. Or use them for something else – to be honest egg whites very rarely make it into my nog. Egg whites are a lot of whipping, and when it comes to cocktails sometimes I just want to relax.

As always, consuming anything with raw eggs does have some sort of risk. So if you can, use local, organic eggs if possible. And just be aware that consuming raw or undercooked eggs can possibly increase your risk for certain types of food-borne illnesses. Especially if you have a medical condition.

Boozy maple eggnog

Yield: 4

Think of egg nog as a way of preserving the summer’s bounty (dairy, eggs) for the winter.

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Ingredients

• 4 egg, separated
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup hard, brown alcohol (bourbon, rum, cognac, brandy, etc.)
• Grated nutmeg or cinnamon, to garnish

Instructions

1. Place egg yolks and whites in separate bowls. Combine egg yolks, syrup and sugar and whisk until smooth and light. Add milk, heavy cream and alcohol and whisk until incorporated. Place in a glass jar or pitcher and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to 2 weeks.
2. To serve, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into egg nog, or not. If you’re aging it the nog should develop a lovely thick mouthfeel on its own. Up to you. serve topped with grated nutmeg or cinnamon.

Notes

Maple, yolks and sugar

If you’re going to use egg whites make sure you’ve whipped them to a stiff peak

Everything whisked together

Top with nutmeg