Eggnog Liqueur

By Vanetta

Inspired by the Advocaat recipe in the book “Classic Liqueurs” by Cheryl Long and Heather Kibbey

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar (lightly packed) or raw sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 cup vodka
• 5 whole eggs
• 1 additional egg yolk
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1 scraping of fresh grated nutmeg

Preparation

Step 1

Using the blunt edge of your knife, scrape the insides from the vanilla bean.Set vanilla pod aside** and add the vanilla scrapings to the blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend for about 45 seconds on high, or until thoroughly combined and smooth. You have frothed this up a good deal by this point. Take this into account when choosing whatever you will use to store it. Pour into a clean bottle with a tight fitting lid or a clean canning jar with a tight fitting lid. Place in the refrigerator and allow it to mellow for at least two weeks prior to serving. The longer it ages, the smoother the flavor will be. Another little bit of magic; as it ages, it will deepen not only in flavor but in color. If you use eggs from your own chickens -or from the chickens of a generous farmer friend- the liqueur will reach an almost orange color. This is good for two months in the refrigerator. Look at my bottle after two weeks in the chill chest…


**Take your scraped vanilla bean pod and put it in a jar with a couple cups of plain sugar. Put a tight lid on it and stick it in a dark place. In a week you’ll have vanilla sugar. As you use it up and start running low, just add additional sugar and shake the jar. Voila! Never ending vanilla sugar!