Drinks

Gingerbread eggnog cocktail

Name: Gingerbread eggnog cocktail recipe
Yield: Makes enough eggnog to serve 12/Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients: 6 medium egg yolks; 150g (5 oz/¾ cup) granulated sugar, plus 1 tsp; 500ml (17fl oz/2 cups) milk; 2 cloves; 1 cinnamon stick; 225ml (7½fl oz/scant 1 cup) double (heavy) cream; 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg; 3–60.00 ml whisky or bourbon (omit if making it for children); 30ml (1fl oz/2 tbsp) Ginger Syrup (see below); 30ml (1fl oz/2 tbsp) rum or whisky; 120ml (4fl oz/½ cup) eggnog (see above); Ice cubes; A little extra ginger syrup; Crushed ginger biscuits (gingernuts); 200g (7oz/1 cup) granulated sugar; 240ml (8fl oz/1 cup) water; 115g (4oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

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by Helena Garcia

CHEF

Oct 11, 2023

"Eggnog is synonymous with Christmas in America. Apparently, George Washington used to make his own and was adamant that you should let it rest for a few days to intensify its flavour. I personally love eggnog, on its own, as a latte or in this case as a gingerbread cocktail. Since eggnog is not readily available in the UK, I’ve included a recipe on how to make it." This is an edited extract from The Book of Gingerbread by Helena Garcia, published by Quadrille. Available in stores nationally, RRP $34.99. Photography by Patricia Niven.

For the eggnog

6 medium egg yolks
150g (5 oz/¾ cup) granulated sugar, plus 1 tsp
500ml (17fl oz/2 cups) milk
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
225ml (7½fl oz/scant 1 cup) double (heavy) cream
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3–4 tbsp whisky or bourbon (omit if making it for children)

For the gingerbread eggnog cocktail

30ml (1fl oz/2 tbsp) Ginger Syrup (see below)
30ml (1fl oz/2 tbsp) rum or whisky
120ml (4fl oz/½ cup) eggnog (see above)
Ice cubes

To decorate the glass

A little extra ginger syrup
Crushed ginger biscuits (gingernuts)

For the ginger syrup

200g (7oz/1 cup) granulated sugar
240ml (8fl oz/1 cup) water
115g (4oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

Method

1.

For the ginger syrup, combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan set over a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the ginger and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid through a sieve into a jug or bowl and leave it to cool before bottling. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
2.

Make the eggnog in advance: in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the milk, cloves and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and heat gently to just before boiling point. Slowly add about half of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly so it doesn’t scramble. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and continue cooking over a low-medium heat until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Do not boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Stir and strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Add the cream, nutmeg and whisky or bourbon, then cover and refrigerate. Leave to ‘mature’ for 8 hours or overnight. The eggnog is now ready to serve. You can either ladle it into individual glasses and serve with freshly grated nutmeg and a cinnamon stick, or make the gingerbread cocktail as follows.
3.

To decorate the rim of the glass, pour a little ginger syrup into a saucer and place the crushed ginger biscuits in a separate saucer. Dip the rim of a cocktail glass in the syrup, then dip it into the crushed ginger biscuits to create an attractive rim.
4.

Combine the ginger syrup, the rum or whisky and eggnog in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well for a few seconds until cold, then strain into your cocktail glass.