Baileys Eggnog Recipe

Eggnog. The holidays just aren't the holidays without it. Everybody has their own variation, and I thought I'd share my own version of the Christmas classic with you today, because I think it's pretty damn special. Why you ask? Well because of my secret ingredient, of course.

Before we run off to wacky ingredient land, which I instantly travel to when I see the words "secret ingredient", I must warn you that it's not something out-there like Kiwano melon or eye of newt.. No, my recipe calls for something a little less wacky than strange, horned fruit and newt eyes.. My recipe calls for a lashing of Baileys. Smooth, creamy, Baileys.

Sure. Rum is fun and bourbon is... urban? But Baileys.. Oh boy! Baileys gives the eggnog a whole different dimension of flavour and next level creaminess that I just can't seem to beat.

Baileys Eggnog Recipe

Serves 4

(or 1 Christie)

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cinnamon sticks*
• 2 vanilla bean pods, split and seeds removed*
• 1 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
• 5 eggs, separated - Cover the whites and refrigerate until needed
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2/4 cup Baileys Irish Cream

* Sometimes, I'm not fancy enough to have cinnamon sticks and vanilla pods laying around the house. In this case, ground cinnamon (roughly 3 teaspoons) and vanilla essence (5 teaspoons) works a treat.

Directions

• In a saucepan, combine your milk, cream, cinnamon sticks (or ground cinnamon), vanilla pod and seeds (or vanilla essence), and nutmeg. Bring to the boil over a medium heat. Once boiling, remove from the heat and allow to steep for 10-15 minutes.

• In a large bowl or mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar until combined and thick. Strain the steeped saucepan mixture and slowly whisk the slightly cooled milk in to the egg yolk mix, continuing to stir until it is smooth and combined. Add the Baileys, and stir. I like to add a little extra ground cinnamon and a splash more vanilla essence here, because I like to party. Refrigerate overnight.

• Before serving, beat the put-aside egg whites in your mixer until soft meringue peaks form. Strain your eggnog mixture one more time before gently folding in the egg whites until combined and fluffy. Serve and garnish with nutmeg.

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all my lovely readers a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!