The Ultimate Egg Nog

A little egg nog goes a long way to breaking the proverbial ice, if only to get people talking about how much they love it or hate it. More spiked custard than cocktail, it’s a mainstay of the festive season across the pond. This time of year, you can buy a virgin version by the carton in any supermarket or convenience store in America. But that’s cheating. Homemade is so much better.

It can be a little tricky to make a batch without curdling the egg and the last thing you want is rummy scrambled egg. Pay attention, whisk gently when and as directed and you won’t go wrong. (There is a school who don’t bother with cooking at all but salmonella and Santa seem an unhappy pairing).

The result will go down a treat while decorating the tree (especially with a side of shortbread), before The Dinner kicks off or whenever people are doing the rounds. It’ll keep in the fridge for a few days, too.

• 12 egg yolks
• 475g caster sugar
• 3 pints whole milk
• 3 pints heavy cream
• 750ml’spiced rum
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• fresh nutmeg

Beat the eggs yolks until they’re nice and pale. Add the sugar and mix well. In a saucepan combine the vanilla and dairy and bring mixture to the boil. Let the mixture cool slightly before slowly pouring it into the egg mixture while GENTLY whisking. Add the rum to taste and when the mixture is room temperature move it into the fridge to chill. Serve cold with a dusting of freshly grated ?nutmeg.?Serves 12.