Martha Stewart is many things: celebrity chef, television personality, convicted felon. However, a teetotaler, she is not. While not quite at Sandra Lee levels, Martha Stewart has an eggnog recipe that should come with a warning label.
Published in Stewart's inaugural cookbook, Entertaining, this recipe has left fans speechless for over 40 years. It isn't that this recipe is overly long or complex—though Stewart does recommend doing it over two days. Rather, this recipe is so iconic because it has, to put it bluntly, enough booze to kill a horse.
Consider Your Halls Decked
Eggnog isn't an overly laborious dish, requiring only a handful of ingredients. At its' simplest, eggnog is just milk, eggs, sugar, a sprinkle of nutmeg, and a dash of distilled spirits. What sets Martha Stewart's recipe apart is that it calls for much more than a dash.
Stewart's recipe calls for not one, nor two, but three types of alcohol. The recipe calls for "½ cup bourbon, ¼ cup dark rum, and ¼ cup Cognac". Stewart advises only serving your guests the best, specifically recommending Maker's Mark, Mount Gay, and Remy Martin Grand Cru for maximum potency.
However, the hangover-inducing alcoholic content isn't the only thing indulgent about this drink. In addition to 2 cups of whole milk—no skim milk here!—Stewart adds 3 cups of heavy cream into the mixture. Then, she tops the eggnog with even more heavy cream, whipped into stiff peaks.
The resulting recipe is rich and creamy, utterly worth the two days it takes to prepare. It will warm you from the inside out for more than one reason. By whipping the whites until they resemble clouds, Stewart not only gives you more eggnog for your metaphorical buck, but she altars the texture of the drink until it goes down your gullet like crushed velvet.
Everything In Moderation
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Between the ABV content and the showy presentation (Stewart recommends doing most of the prep in advance and breaking out the stand mixer as the guests trickle in), this eggnog recipe is sure to wow friends, family, and even coworkers...depending on what sort of professional relationship you have. It's heavy on the booze, yes, but also creamy and comforting. It's no wonder that Martha Stewart makes this recipe every Christmas—after that initial taste, we'd be waiting all year for another.
In the original video, Stewart recommends serving this drink in small glasses out of a large punchbowl, limiting guests to one cup. However, there's a mischievous twinkle in her eyes that says she won't tattle if you sneak an extra cup. She also has an "I told you so vibe" as though she can already picture party guests crashing on the couch rather than try to drive home.
The best thing about eggnog—not just this recipe, but the beverage in general—is how customizable it is. You could add a sprinkle of cinnamon or a candy cane to elevate the flavor, or play with the proportions. And, if you're a 'nog hater, you should still give this recipe a try—you probably won't even taste the eggs.
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