Happy Friday before Christmas, Hanukkah, Festivus, & Kwanzaa. Sticking with the seasonal beverage theme we’ve been on since last week, I decided to kick it up a notch and do some homemade eggnog! The New York Times has a recipe for butterscotch scotch eggnog that I’ve been dying to try so let’s get mixing! Literally. I hope you have a stand mixer or a hand mixer, because you’re gonna need one…

Butterscotch Scotch Eggnog:

12 large eggs, separated
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus pinch
2 cups whole milk
1 cup smoky Scotch whisky
½ cup brandy
2 cups heavy cream
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
Grated nutmeg

In a large bowl, combine the yolks, brown sugar, vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using an electric mixer beat on medium-high speed until thick and dark golden, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly drizzle in the milk, Scotch and brandy. Transfer to the freezer to chill while preparing the rest of the eggnog. (Or refrigerate for at least 2 hours before completing.)

In a medium bowl, whip the cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Set aside. In another medium bowl, using clean beaters, whip the egg whites and pinch of salt on medium-high speed, adding the sugar by tablespoons until soft peaks form.

When ready to serve, pour the yolk mixture into a large punchbowl. Fold in a small amount of whipped cream to lighten it, then fold in the remaining cream. Fold in the egg whites. Generously dust the top with nutmeg; serve immediately.

A couple of housekeeping notes here: The version I made is a bit thicker than a normal eggnog would be. I think I overbeat the egg whites prior to folding them back in, which added more foam than creaminess to the overall finished product. Also, I scaled this version way down. The original recipe serves 12, but I made 1/3 the recipe, just so I have a chance at finishing what I have leftover and not having it go to waste. Speaking of, this should be consumed in 2-3 days before risking salmonella, as this is raw egg after all.

So, how did it turn out? Very, very well! This is decadent, and insanely over the top. The nutmeg topping is the first thing you notice. Since this is so thick, the grated spice just sits on top, giving off its aroma every time you go in for a a sip. As to the flavor, I can see why the recipe calls for a smoky scotch. That peat flavor cuts through the richness and lets you know that there is definitely booze in this. The brandy does get a bit lost in the richness of the egg and the smoky whisky flavor. Overall, it’s rich, filling and definitely better than anything store bought.

Sure, it does take some extra preparation, and is extremely hard to make without some kitchen equipment. It is easier to go to the store and get eggnog and dump booze in it and serve. But since it’s the holidays I can’t think of a better time or excuse to take the time to make this and impress the hell out of your friends and family with this drink. Thanks for reading, and Happy Holidays to all of you out there.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lud3bgEJeTg]

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