Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of whole milk
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
3 beaten eggs
1/3 cup of sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg (for garnish)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (for eggnog)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 tbs of confectioners sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup of rum (omit this if for children)
Directions:
In a sauce pan, combine 1/3 cup of sugar, eggs and 1/8th tsp. of salt and beat the mixture with a fork or if you have one, a wired whisk. Slowly incorporate milk into the mixture and whisk until smooth. Continue stirring constantly and cook over medium heat, add nutmeg. Mixture is finished when it has the ability to coat a metallic utensil.
Remove your mixture from the heat at this point and this is an ideal time to add the vanilla extract. Cool your mixture right in the sauce pan by placing the sauce pan in a large bowl of ice water. Making sure that none of the water of course gets into the mixture itself. Continue stirring during the process so that the mixture does not solidify. Once cooled, place pan in refrigerator.
Using the same ice water bowl, which should now be chilled, dump the ice water out and mix together confectioners sugar and heavy whipping cream. Beat with an electric mixer until you have solid stiff peaks that form. At this time if you are making an alcoholic version this would be the time to add the rum. If not, fold this mixture now into your refrigerated custard mixture. Serve in a beautiful punch bowl, and sprinkle additional nutmeg over it.
