Eggnog — it’s a vacation staple that’s as ingrained as trimming the tree or watching Hallmark movies. Whereas its origins return centuries to medieval England, the wealthy, boozy drink has grow to be a part of the American Christmas custom and is one which appears right here to remain.
As its title suggests, eggnog is historically made with uncooked eggs, in addition to heavy cream, sugar, entire milk, nutmeg and as much as a trio of spirits: darkish rum, bourbon and cognac. Some variations use crème de cacao or Frangelico. The egg whites get whipped and folded in on the finish, making a frothy, creamy texture. And as you may think about, this quaff has fairly a number of energy, clocking in at 235 energy, 8g of fats (4.5g saturated) and 20g of sugar per half cup. And talking of serving dimension — 4 ounces or half a cup is the usual serving for nog. It suits completely into the punchbowl cups your grandma handed right down to you.
How to make better-for-you eggnog
If you wish to make homemade eggnog, however you’re involved in regards to the safety of raw eggs, which might trigger salmonella, you may at all times use pasteurized eggs within the recipe. If you happen to’re trying to lighten up eggnog, be sure to don’t veer too far into sweetness. The great thing about nog is the stability between wealthy creaminess and delicate sweetness. If you begin to take away the fats, the candy notes can grow to be overpowering.
You’ll be able to simply take a standard recipe and make some fast substitutions. For instance, as a substitute of the heavy cream, go for entire milk or coconut milk. After which for the entire milk, you may strive 2 p.c milk or almond milk. And if a recipe requires 1 cup or ¾ cup of sugar, strive utilizing ¼ cup much less. And undoubtedly style in terms of including the nutmeg, which is a really singular taste. Simply sufficient is heavenly. An excessive amount of is gross.
The best store-bought eggnogs
There are a number of ready-to-drink nogs that you simply’ll discover on the grocery retailer. Some will likely be within the refrigerated part, subsequent to the juices, whereas different choices are shelf-stable, and also you’ll discover these subsequent to the boxed almond milk. Both means, you’ll wish to seize a few them as a result of eggnog is a limited-edition product. One of many higher tasting dairy-based ones we’ve tried this yr is the Bolthouse Farms Holiday Nog. It’s made with low-fat milk, pasteurized egg yolks, nutmeg, vanilla and a stunning ingredient — carrot juice. A 4-ounce (1/2 cup) serving has a slim 90 energy, 1.5g complete fats (1g saturated) and 9g of added sugar, leaving loads of room for some darkish rum or bourbon. A brand new plant-based possibility we like is Elmhurst’s Oat Nog, which blends oats with cashews, sugar and pure flavors for a easy and really creamy possibility that’s pretty by itself or in recipes. A 4-ounce serving clocks in at 100 energy, 2g fats (0 saturated) and 8g of added sugars.
Another traditional nog: coquito
I just lately heard of coquito, which is a coconut milk-based vacation drink that’s historically loved in Puerto Rico. Along with the coconut milk, coquito additionally comprises cream of coconut, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, nutmeg, cinnamon and naturally — rum. Coquito is usually made within the blender and served icy chilly. It’s nutritionally just like eggnog however has extra added sugars due to the sweetened condensed milk.
You would possibly wonder if this recipe could be lightened up. The reply is sure! But it surely’s somewhat tough. You’ll be able to change the evaporated milk with plain or vanilla kefir, which gives the physique and creaminess you’re on the lookout for. The sweetened condensed milk is tougher to interchange because it contributes thickness to coquito, in addition to sweetness. You’ll be able to experiment with creamier, sweetened plant milks like vanilla oat or cashew milk.
How to use up leftover eggnog
Perhaps you made a super-sized batch of eggnog, or maybe not all of your visitors confirmed up. So long as you’ve stored the nog chilly, it is best to preserve it to make use of in recipes the subsequent day. Our favourite utilization might be Eggnog French Toast, which has all the vacation feels rolled right into a scrumptious breakfast. Or add somewhat vacation cheer to pancakes or waffles by merely swapping out the common milk with the identical quantity of eggnog. It’s a superb factor maple pairs so nicely with the flavors of eggnog! If you happen to simply wish to preserve it easy, dissipate a few of that eggnog by swapping it in your traditional espresso creamer. And I believe a vegan nog can be superb in a smoothie on Christmas morning. Simply saying.
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