Spiked Gingerbread Eggnog

Ingredients:

6 Large Egg Yolks

1/2 cup Finely Ground Sugar

3 cups Milk (or 2 cups milk, 1 cup heavy cream for a creamier egg nog)

1 tsp. Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Pinch of Salt

1/2 Fresh Vanilla Bean Pod, scrapped

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger

1/4 tsp. Allspice

1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves

1/2 cup Rum

Directions:

Crack whole eggs into a bowl. Using your fingers, grab one egg yolk at a time and slowly pass it from hand to hand, until all of the white has separated. Place egg yolks in a separate bowl and whisk in sugar until the mixture is light yellow and looks creamy. Place the spices, salt, and vanilla bean in a large sauce pan with the milk and heat in until just simmering.

Temper your egg yolks with the hot liquid, by carefully ladling a small amount of the milk into your eggs while whisking. Repeat until the two are combined.

Place the mixture back in your large pan on the stove. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Place a candy thermometer in the mixture and turn off the heat when it reaches 160 degrees.

Let chill for at least four hours. Mix in the rum when the mixture has chilled and top with cinnamon for serving (optional).

Created by Thumbtack chef Niko Paranomos

