Is Homemade Eggnog Worth the Effort?

I was recently at a small Christmas gathering where the host served warm cocktails and homemade eggnog. Everyone was raving about the creamy, traditional nog so I tried a small glass and couldn't help but think that the carton I'd bought at the store was better. Sure, I doctor it up with a little fresh nutmeg and rum or brandy, but still, the store-bought version was smoother and had more nuanced, subtle flavors than this homemade version, which tasted quite eggy to me. So I wonder: is homemade eggnog worth the effort?

Recently The New York Times featured an article called Eggnog the Hard Way. In it writer Rosie Schaap discusses her personal theory with eggnog: go all the way or go home. She finds storebought nog perfectly delicious but can't trust herself with a whole carton laying around the house, so she's taken to making a "hard nog" which is essentially a baked custard strained into an eggnog, but without the raw eggs.

I don't fall into the camp that's squeamish about homemade eggnog because of the raw eggs. (I eat raw eggs in other things this time of year, from cocktails to homemade mayonnaise.) But I will say that I'm just not certain it's worth the effort when so many local dairies make such a great product to begin with. And then there's the Hard Nog, and while I'm sure it's delicious, it just makes things even more complex.

So what's a nog-lover to do this time of year? Tell me your thoughts.

Related: Recipe Review: Homemade Eggnog

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Taking It Up a Notch: Aged Eggnog

Eggnog is one of the decadent treats of the season, something I allow myself to have in the evening with a little brandy, or warmed with coffee in the morning. People have been making their own eggnog for decades, but did you know that some of these same folks actually age their nog anywhere from one month to one year?

I didn't either until I read Holly Jenning's exploration of the topic in a recent piece for Art of Eating. But first before exploring the topic too heavily, what is aged eggnog? It is really just as you'd think: homemade eggnog that is left to sit in barrels to age on its own. Some recipes leave out the dairy altogether, stirring it in at the very end. Others fold in whipped cream while others still fold in additional egg whites.

Jennings experimented on her own, aging her nog for 3 months before serving it to dinner guests. Her conclusion: a much "rounder, smoother, and noticeably more complex" flavor. I couldn't help but thinking: how much better could it really be? Did eggnog need that much improving in the first place? Plus, I couldn't help but wonder about the safety of the whole endeavor. It seems Jennings was anticipating that, noting that aged eggnog is actually "safer to drink than fresh eggnog made with raw eggs because the alcohol, after three weeks, kills any trace of salmonella."

So now I suppose my skepticism has turned more to a fierce curiosity. I'd love to know: have any of you tried aged eggnog?

Read more: Aged Eggnog at Art of Eating

Related: DIY Recipe: Eggnog Latte

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Leftover Eggnog? 10 Delicious Uses

Got leftover eggnog? Whether it's store-bought or homemade, spiked or vegan, there are so many ways to enjoy its rich, sweet, nutmeg-y flavor. From an eggnog latte to pancake syrup and quick icing, here are (more than) 10 delicious uses. Share your own creative ideas in the comments, too!

Coffee: Pour some eggnog into your regular coffee, or go all out and make a Starbucks-style eggnog latte.

French toast: Substitute eggnog for milk in your favorite French toast recipe. It would be extra special made with challah.

Pancakes: Sub eggnog for milk in pancakes. Waffles, and crpes, too; we love the sound of these crpes at Pics-O-Andrea.

Syrup: Go a step further with eggnog-flavored pancake and waffle syrup. Try this recipe from Dine & Dish.

Oatmeal: Add a splash of eggnog to a bowl of plain oatmeal or something even more seasonal, like Baked Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal.

Bread pudding: A fabulous use for leftover eggnog and leftover bread. Swap some of the milk for eggnog in our basic bread pudding recipe.

Rice pudding: Again, here's a way to transform two kinds of leftovers: eggnog and rice (white or brown). Need a recipe to get you started? We love this creamy Lemon Rice Pudding.

Smoothie: Improvise with any smoothie, or try Averie Cooks' recipe for Eggnog Chai Smoothie.

Cake: If you've got half a cup of eggnog, you can make a Whipped Eggnog Loaf Cake. Need we say more?

Icing: Whip up some eggnog-spiked icing for cakes, scones, and sugar cookies. Here's a recipe for Quick Sugar Icing.

Related: What Else Can I Do With Leftover Eggnog?

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Winter Recipe: Whipped Eggnog Loaf Cake Recipes from The Kitchn

I suspect that I won't need to do much convincing with this recipe. I also suspect that your guests won't need much convincing to try a slice. It's cake. Made with eggnog. Glazed with sweet boozy icing. An extra pinch of nutmeg and a special baking trick with a whisk are all you need to put this holiday treat right over the top.

The "whipped" part of this recipe comes from whipping the eggnog into a foam before adding it to the batter. This is a trick I picked up from Shirley O Corriher in her book BakeWise: by whipping the cream in recipes for cakes and quick breads, you add moisture, richness, and lightness to the batter.

This results in a loaf with an unbelievably tender crumb. I tried it once and now do it whenever I see heavy cream in a recipe. Eggnog won't whip to soft peaks like cream because of the eggs and other ingredients in the beverage, but it will become very frothy and double in volume.

And the whipped eggnog totally works. The cake is so tender and luxurious that it tips over into velvety. I was worried that the eggnog might not come through with only a half cup in the recipe, but that creamy nutmeg flavor is infused into every crumb. It's crazy good and totally decadent.

Whipped Eggnog Loaf Cake

Makes 1 loaf (about 12 servings)

1/2 cup (5 oz) whole-fat eggnog (see note below on using low-fat eggnog)
1 1/2 cups (7 oz) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup (4 oz/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup (7 oz) white granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk

Glazed Icing
1/2 cup (4 oz) powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons rum, brandy, or bourbon

Heat the oven to 350F. Line an 8x5 loaf ban with parchment so that the extra hangs over the sides. Coat the parchment and exposed sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a standing mixer with a whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, whisk the eggnog at high speed until it doubles in volume, 6-8 minutes. Because of the eggs and other ingredients, it won't actually form peaks like whipped cream, but it should become very frothy and airy. Keep the whipped eggnog in the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until it become creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the sugar until the mixture is looks fluffy and light-colored, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides as needed.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the butter mixture. Mix on low speed just until the ingredients come together into a dough. It's ok if there is still a little flour visible on the dough and the sides of the bowl.

Using a spatula, gently mix 1/3 of the whipped eggnog into the batter. Pour the rest of the eggnog into the bowl and gently fold it into the batter. At first, it will look like the eggnog won't go into the batter. Just keep gently folding and stirring, and eventually it will form a smooth, glossy, pourable batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Place in the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. The loaf is done when the top is domed and golden-brown, and when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it by the parchment paper and transfer to a cooling rack. Remove the parchment. When the loaf has cooled but is still warm to the touch, whisk together the glaze ingredients and spoon over the loaf. Let the loaf stand until the icing is set and dry. Slice and serve.

The loaf will keep at room temperature, covered, for about three days.

Notes:

Using Low-Fat Eggnog - Low-fat eggnog won't become as frothy as full-fat eggnog. It's best to add it along with the flour addition: mix in 1/3 of the flour and then 1/3 of the low-fat eggnog. Repeat until all the ingredients are incorporated.

Related: Eggnog For Breakfast: 5 Festive Recipes

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