Eggnog

What to do when you’re homesick at Christmastime? Make all of your favorite family recipes, of course. At least that’s been my strategy lately. I hail from a long line of bakers and this is what we do for the holidays.  Tackling one recipe a night (more or less), I've slowly amassed a collection of time-honored sweets: My brother’s rocky road, Grandmother Mom’s pecan balls, Aunt Candy’s almond-frosted shortbreads, and the almond biscotti recipe I found in college (as well as a few fun additions: Sparking Berries, peppermint bark & Double Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies!).

As always, the pièce de résistance was my mom’s signature eggnog recipe. To be clear, homemade eggnog is nothing like what you find in grocery stores. Made from eggs cooked overnight in whiskey, and stirred with whipped cream, milk, vanilla and nutmeg, it is a potent cup of creamy deliciousness. Each of these recipes congers up fond memories of Christmases past, but none so much eggnog. Just the scent of it alone takes me back to sipping bits of it as a young girl, the cheer of family gatherings, laughter-filled card and dice games, and late night chats with my mom. Over the years, circumstances inevitably changed - family was scattered and loved ones were lost - but these recipes continue to be a core part of the holiday season for those of us who are together.

It was both comforting and thrilling to carry these traditions forward and share them with my ‘new’ family this year.  Looking ahead, I expect that things will continue to change and my holiday traditions will evolve as Konrad and I blend our families' customs. Nonetheless, I think its safe to say that at least eggnog will continue to be a part of Christmas for us -  I couldn't imagine the holidays without it!
 
Mum's Eggnog
6 eggs
2 cups whiskey
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup whole milk 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Separate eggs. Beat yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy. Stir in 1 cup of whiskey. Refrigerate 3-4 hours or overnight.

Just before egg yolks are ready, beat egg whites with 1/4 cup sugar until stand. Mix egg whites with the yolks and stir in the remaining cup of whiskey. Let sit one hour or longer.

Beat whipping cream with remaining 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla. Fold into egg mixture and add milk.

Serve with a garnish of freshly grated nutmeg.

Maple Pecan Tart

Among many other things, I am thankful for maple sweets. I love all things maple, so when I found this recipe for a Maple Pecan Tart, I was smitten. A decadent pecan tart made with real maple syrup? Nevermind the fact that it also called for straight up corn syrup (the evil ingredient we try to avoid), it had Thanksgiving written all over it. Nothing that we consume on holidays counts anyway, right? Despite some minor cooking issues, it was definitely as tasty as I'd hoped. The crust and pecans were browning well before the filling had set, so I covered it and baked everything on reduced heat for double the time. Crisis averted. We shared it with Konrad's family and it was enjoyed by all, or at least so they said ;)