Happy December! Tis the season for all things festive & when the holidays roll around, there is nothing I crave more than a tall glass of eggnog. The cozy spices of nutmeg & cinnamon make for the most festive drink. It is a staple this time of year. If I am not drinking eggnog by the fireplace, I am experimenting & incorporating the flavours into my desserts.
Eggnog is essentially a custard style drink, so it seemed fitting to turn the drink into a pot de creme! This pot de creme features the traditional spices of eggnog, with a bourbon & maple twist. Eggnog is typically made with rum, however I love the caramel undertones the bourbon brings (whiskey works too). If you are not familiar with a pot de creme, it is a classic French custard based dessert. Similar to a creme brûlée (without the burnt sugar topping), a pot de creme is a “pot of cream”. It is rich in flavour & creamy in texture.
The custard is baked in a water bath to ensure the texture remains smooth. This dessert is a beautiful individually plated dessert as well, perfect for all your holiday entertaining needs! They can be made up to 48 hours in advance & serve chilled. I like to top mine with sugared cranberries (as it looks extra festive), but a dollop of whipped cream or a sprinkle of ground nutmeg will do the trick!
Wishing everyone the merriest holiday season! xo
Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
5 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon whiskey or bourbon
1 pinch fine salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sugared cranberries, for topping
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Have a pot of boiling water ready.
- In a heavy saucepan over medium heat whisk together the cream, milk, brown sugar & maple syrup. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yolks, vanilla, bourbon, salt, nutmeg & cinnamon.
- Slowly temper in the cream mixture to egg mixture, whisking constantly.
- Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure filling is silky smooth.
- Evenly divide custard amongst 4 to 6 ramekins (depending on desired size). Transfer to a baking dish & pour in the boiling water halfway up. Be sure not to drip any water into the ramekins.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the centre of each custard has set. Carefully remove ramekins from the baking dish & transfer to cooling rack. Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Top with sugared cranberries & a sprinkle of nutmeg before serving. Enjoy!
