- 8
Ingredients
- 12 eggs, separated
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 6 cups whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean, split
- Coarse salt
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons brandy
- 2 cups heavy cream
- Ground or grated nutmeg, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Step 1
1.Place a large bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 1 cup sugar until pale yellow and thick, about 2 minutes.
2.In a medium saucepan, bring milk, vanilla bean, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to a bare simmer. Remove from heat. Whisking constantly, slowly pour 2 cups hot milk mixture into yolks. Whisking, slowly pour yolk mixture into saucepan. Cook over medium, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of spoon, about 3 minutes.
3.Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl in ice bath. Let cool, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cover and refrigerate eggnog base until chilled, about 1 hour.
4.Whisk brandy and cream into chilled eggnog base. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whites into eggnog base until blended. (To store, refrigerate, up to 3 days; whisk vigorously before serving.) Serve eggnog sprinkled with nutmeg, if desired.