In Puerto Rico it's coquito, in Venezuela it's ponche crema and in Central America it's rum popo. All these drinks have a common denominator: they are prepared with milk, eggs, sugar, spices and rum. Here in the U.S. the equivalent is the eggnog, prepared with the same ingredients and bourbon, whisky or brandy.
If like me, you're concerned about children, breastfeeding moms, pregnant women, and whoever doesn't want to drink alcohol during the holidays, here is my virgin eggnog. You can always add the spirit later. Happy holidays!
Read more ¿Qué más? Holiday recipe: Delicious and easy Puerto Rican Coquito (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO)
Embedded content: http://youtu.be/8vVaCLeixDU
Eggnog
Makes 10-12 servings of ½ cup each (depending on whether you add alcohol or not)
__Ingredients
__3 cups of skim milk
1 cup of light cream
6 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup golden rum or bourbon (optional)
1/4 cup brandy (optional)
Preparation
1. In a pot, mix the milk, cream, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. Simmer and bring to a boil.
3. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until creamy and pale.
4. Gradually add one cup of the hot milk to the egg mixture and beat until everything is well incorporated.
5. Gradually incorporate this mixture to the pot and simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the vanilla.
7. Strain and discard the cinnamon sticks and the cloves. Let cool down.
8. If desired, you can add rum or bourbon and brandy and mix.
9. Pour into a sterilized bottle and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
10. Serve with crushed ice.
For more of my recipes, visit my cooking blog.
Image via Enriqueta Lemoine
