Originally published in Edible Alaska no. 34, Winter 2024
Wait! Before you grab that carton of pre-made nog, consider the alternative. This holiday season, wow your guests with your own homemade version, then wow them even more when you serve them aged egg nog. This process takes a little advance planning, but the recipe itself couldn’t be easier. If you’re picking up this magazine in mid-November, now is the time to start this delicious project for the December and new year holidays.
I got my inspiration for making aged egg nog from Alton Brown. He is a scientific genius in the culinary world, and I have learned so much from him and his show, Serious Eats. I adapted his basic recipe idea to fit what I enjoy in an egg nog. It’s a great way to elevate any holiday party, and it will have people talking about it all year long.
I suggest aging your nog for about a month, but if you can’t wait that long, a week is fine. If you can’t wait a week, you can even make this and drink it on the same day; it will still be delicious. I have been aging my egg nogs since 2016 and the longest I’ve aged one was four years. I found that they peak at year three, and after that the flavor profile doesn’t change. And no, the nog doesn’t go bad. I keep mine in the refrigerator in glass jars, and shake them about once a month. There is so much alcohol per volume that it preserves the egg proteins, and keeps the mixture from spoiling. You can infuse nearly anything into your nog to give it more depth of flavor. Over the years I’ve tried chocolate peanut butter, Bing cherry, pistachio, Chinese Five Spice, golden raisin fig, orange spice egg nogs, and the list goes on. The sky is the limit, so let your creativity shine.
This recipe includes infused spirits. Three days before starting the egg nog, you’ll want to get your infusions going. To infuse your spirits, just place your ingredient of choice in a glass jar and pour one cup of spirit over the contents. Let it sit for a minimum of three days. If you can’t wait that long for your infusion, you can sous vide your spirit with the ingredient at 140° F for an hour. Let it cool to room temperature and strain. Then you are ready to make your egg nog.
Ingredients
- 12 egg yolks
- 1 pound granulated sugar
- 1 pint half and half
- 1 pint whole milk
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 1 cup rum (infused with a split vanilla bean for 3 days)
- 1 cup cognac (infused with ½ cup dried Bing cherries for 3 days, or substituted with Luxardo cherry liqueur)
- 1 cup bourbon (infused with ¼ cup dried cacao nibs for 3 days)
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Preparation
Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and nutmeg until ribbons form, about 3 minutes. Strain your infusions and add them and the remaining ingredients to the egg yolk mixture. Mix until combined.
Pour into glass bottles/jars, label and date using masking tape. Age in the refrigerator for at least 1 week.
About this recipe
Editors’ notes: no time for aging or infusing? Carissa says that without those flavor building steps, this is a fantastic, classic egg nog you can make and enjoy the same day. Also, hang on to those extra egg whites. Lots of holiday recipes call for them. You can find recipes for Baked Alaska and Blueberry Meringue Pie at ediblealaska.com, or just make an omelet with them. Cheers!
