Eggnog recipe with and without alcohol

Christmas is characterized by being a time in which it is very common to enjoy large dinners and meals, especially in the company of our loved ones, and where they abound not only recipes certainly delicious dishes, but also a great variety of typical desserts Christmas

Among these desserts are especially nougat, marzipan, polvorones, sugared almonds and the traditional Roscón de Reyes, among others. But there is also a dessert, rather a drink, which in countries like Venezuela, the United States or Canada is very common: the famous eggnog (or cream punch).

What is the origin of eggnog?

Tradition has it that already in the fourteenth century the English enjoyed a hot cocktail called posset, consisting of a drink made with warm curdled milk, wine or beer, sweet and seasoned. Soon after, eggs were added.

It seems that this tradition reached the United States, where the sherry and madeira that the English aristocrats used for rum and whiskey were replaced.

It also tells the story that, in 1826, on the West Coast were a group of young cadets in military service. Since they were away from home and it was Christmas, they decided to reduce the sadness by making a drink -without being discovered- with what little they had in the barracks (they were forbidden to celebrate parties and especially drink alcohol). For this drink they used milk, eggs and sugar and called it eggnog (eggnog).

Given the success of the drink, when they left the barracks they thought of adding alcohol, and that was the way we know it today.

Alcohol-free eggnog recipe

Ingredients

3 cups of milk
4 yolks and 2 egg whites
Half a cup of sugar (+ 2 tablespoons)
1 strip of orange peel
1 strip of lemon peel
1 vanilla pod
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 pinch of cinnamon

Preparation

1) In a saucepan put two cups of milk, vanilla and two lemon and orange peels and cook over medium heat. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks along with the half cup of sugar.

2) Pour the hot milk into the beaten eggs while stirring. Put the mixture back in the pot and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the cream thickens.

3) Remove from heat and add the missing cup of milk to stop cooking. Now pour the cream into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

4) Meanwhile, put some water to boil and in a saucepan in a water bath add the egg whites and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Beat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the fire.

5) Beat the whites with an electric mixer until you get snow. Add the cream to the previous preparation.