Caramel Eggnog

I loathe Christmas. But just as every cloud has a silver lining, there is one truly excellent thing about Christmas: eggnog.

In fairness, eggnog is not exclusively within the Christmas domain. But let’s throw a crappy holiday a bone of redemption. And, anyway, this is really not about Christmas; it’s about eggnog.

This morning, before I was even fully conscious, I had a flash of inspiration: caramel eggnog. In other words, caramelize the sugar (in a syrup) instead of incorporating it raw. The result, pictured above, is superb.

Really, you need a recipe? Damn this season of giving!

For every four glasses of eggnog use roughly:

2 eggs
1/4 cup + 1 T sugar
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup dark rum
a hint of vanilla
a dash of nutmeg

Caramelize the 1/4 cup sugar over medium heat in a heavy pan with 1/4 cup water. When it’s a rich, dark amber, stir-in another 1/4 cup of water (the first will be long-gone) until the caramel is completely dissolved into a syrup. Set aside to cool a bit.

Separate the eggs. Whisk the yolks until pale, then whisk-in the rum, the caramel syrup, the dairy, the accents.

Beat the whites using a hand- or standing mixer, first until softly coherent, then, adding the extra sugar, until stiff but still moist-looking. In other words, don’t beat them so stiff that they become dry and brittle.

Fold the fluffy whites into the rest and you are done.

Garnish with fresh grated nutmeg.

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