Homemade Eggnog Recipe

• Make sure you're using the freshest eggs when making drinks with raw eggs. With proper attention to the freshness and quality of your eggs and how you handle them, you reduce the risk of food poisoning from bacteria like salmonella, and your eggnog will likely be perfectly safe for guests.
• The USDA recommends pasteurized eggs for any food or drink that uses raw eggs. The pasteurization process kills any bacteria that may be inside the shell, though some people find that there's a loss in flavor.
• Making traditional eggnog requires a lot of vigorous mixing. While you can do it all with a whisk, using a stand or hand mixer whenever possible makes the task much easier.
• There are three popular liquor options for eggnog: bourbon, brandy, and rum. Many people prefer bourbon, brandy is the traditional choice, and aged rum adds a similar oaky sweetness. For more dimension, try equal parts of bourbon and either brandy or aged rum.
  

In a well-sealed container, the eggnog's creamy yolk base will last for two to three days in the fridge because the alcohol acts as a preservative. Hold the egg whites until you're ready to serve; either refrigerate them in an air-tight container for a few days or freeze the egg whites for longer storage. Let the whites reach room temperature before whipping. Drink nonalcoholic eggnog within a day.

Some people enjoy the taste of aged eggnog. It's an old-fashioned method that stores the eggnog base (no whites) for a long time to let the flavor develop further. When doing this, be extra diligent about egg safety, increase the recipe's ratio to two parts dairy and one part liquor, and store it in a glass jar with a tight seal. Keep it refrigerated for up to two weeks. The extra alcohol extends the shelf life, and you can always add a bit of milk or cream if it's too potent.

The trick to cooked eggnog is to temper the eggs by adding the warm dairy ingredients to the egg yolks so the temperature rises gently and prevents scrambled eggs. The entire mix is then brought up to 160 F, the minimum temperature for eggs that destroys bacteria. The secret to success is to keep stirring whenever you're working with the warm mix.

• Beat the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and salt according to the recipe.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stir constantly and gently warm the milk and heavy cream until steaming, but not to a boil.
• While whisking vigorously, very slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolk bowl.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan, stir continually, and cook over medium heat until it reaches 160 F on a thermometer. The mixture should thicken slightly but not be allowed to curdle.
• Remove the eggnog base from the heat, pour into a medium mixing bowl (through a fine-mesh strainer, if desired, to remove any film or curdled bits that may form), and let cool to room temperature.
• Stir in the brandy. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

With this method, you can eliminate the egg whites and enjoy creamy cooked eggnog—it yields about four cups or four standard servings. If you want the foamy top, you can fold in the whipped egg whites then reheat the entire mixture to 160 F before chilling it again. Alternatively, whip 1/2 cup of heavy cream and fold it into the cooked eggnog base.