Cold winter days call for warm fires, blankets, and festive beverages!
Endless discussions from online forms to the dinner table on Christmas night, all stem from the same age-old question– What’s better: Hot cocoa or Eggnog? I decided to find the answer to this question myself, putting my own spin on original recipes created by Professional Chef Joshua Weissman. This experience not only allowed me to make some of my personal favorite drinks, but also let me share cups of Christmas cheer with friends and family.
Egg Nog
Ingredients :
3 cups whole milk
1 cinnamon stick
½ vanilla bean or 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
6 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp ginger powder
½ tsp ground clove
1.5 Tbsp fresh ground nutmeg
1.25 cups heavy whipping cream
Cooking Directions:
1. Roast a cinnamon stick over an open flame or oven broiler until dark in color.
2. Bring milk, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean to a light simmer, and have egg yolks and sugar combined in a separate bowl.
3. Using a handheld mixer or whisk, beat eggs and sugar together until light in color and the mixture thickens.
4. Temper egg and sugar mixture by slowly adding heated milk while constantly whisking to avoid scrambling.
5. Return mixture to the stove and stir for 10-15 minutes on very low heat to prevent curdling; do not boil.
6. Once the mixture thickens, strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a metal bowl.
7. Add cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg, and heavy cream. Gently stir to combine.
8. Over an ice bath, mix eggnog until chilled, store, and serve as wished.
9. Additional tips when serving! Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and gently fold into your mixture. This treat can be served warm or chilled and lasts up to a week in the fridge.
Hot Cocoa
Ingredients:
3 cups whole milk
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1 cinnamon stick
½ vanilla bean or 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 lb chocolate, finely chopped (I personally used a mix of 97% dark, 75% dark, and milk chocolate)
¼ cup granulated sugar
Generous pinch of salt
¼ cup non alcoholic Irish Cream (optional)
Cooking Directions:
1. Roast the cinnamon stick over an open flame or oven broiler until dark in color.
2. Heat milk, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until very hot, NOT BOILING
3. Once hot, Stir in all chopped chocolate until fully melted
4. (If necessary) Return to low heat to finish melting chocolate, whisk constantly, and immersion blend if needed.
5. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, and serve as needed.
6. Additional tips when serving! Top with your favorite cocoa garnishes, such as marshmallows, whipped cream, and/or candy canes.
In a testing group of 12 people, the eggnog blew cocoa out of the water, with ¾ of the group preferring the eggnog over the cocoa. Don’t let the results sway you; both recipes are fairly simple to replicate, yielding amazing results that are much better than anything store-bought. Including commonly found ingredients, these recipes are a top pick for a fun holiday activity that leads to a tasty reward.
