Recipe of the Month – Eggnog

-E nog-

Ingredients

Serves 12

6 medium free-range eggs, separated 150g golden caster sugar 500ml whole milk 400ml double cream 350ml rum, bourbon or a mixture of the two, depending on your preference Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste Cinnamon sticks to decorate Recipe from www.bbc.co.uk/food This deliciously creamy eggnog recipe is a little taste of Christmas history. George Washington, the first American president, even made his own... so why not give it a try?! Method

• Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl with 100g/3½ oz of the caster sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and thick (this is best done with an electric handheld mixer). • Stir in the milk, double cream, and the rum and/or bourbon. You can add a little grated nutmeg as well, if you like your nog this way. • Pour the mixture into two 750ml/1½ pint bottles with stoppers and store in the fridge for up to two weeks. (The alcohol will prevent the eggs or cream spoiling.) • Place the egg whites in a box and freeze until ready to serve the eggnog. • When ready to serve, defrost the egg whites into a clean metal or glass bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until foamy and opaque. Add the remaining 50g of sugar and whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. • Pour the eggnog from the bottles into a large bowl and fold in the egg whites until well combined. Ladle the eggnog into glass tumblers and serve with a little freshly grated nutmeg over the top of each glass.