Recipe: Creamy Circulated Eggnog

An egg-cellent sipper for the holiday

Abbe Lewis is a writer, editor, Emmy nominee and extreme nacho enthusiast with over a decade of experience in food and beverage media. Always on the move, Abbe can be found running long distances on the weekends to new restaurants or her favorite hangouts.

December 4, 2023

Made with only milk, cream, sugar and eggs (obviously), rich and creamy eggnog is a Yuletide staple. (Alcohol inclusion optional.)

To ensure that the eggs are cooked through but not curdled, Joshua Resnick, Lead Chef & Operations Manager at ICE New York, circulates his eggs.   

“Circulating the eggnog allows the egg yolks to cook perfectly to achieve a smooth, creamy consistency without risking the eggs overcooking,” he says.  

No immersion circulator? No problem. Chef Joshua says you can make your eggnog via the tempering method.

“The egg yolks, sugar and seasoning would be mixed in a bowl using a whisk until combined and the eggs get a pale yellow color — this process is called blanchir,” he says. “While doing that, the liquid gets scaled and then slowly added to the yolk mixture. Once combined, the mixture goes back on the range and gently heated until the eggs thicken the mixture.” (If tempering, just be mindful to not overcook and scramble your eggs.)

Here's how to make this holiday crowd-pleaser at home.

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Recipe

Creamy Circulated Eggnog

Yields 7-8 cups

Ingredients

900 grams whole milk
300 grams heavy cream
180 grams sugar
180 grams egg yolks (~11-12 yolks)
2 grams grated nutmeg
2 grams ground cloves
2 grams almond extract
4 grams vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat an immersion circulator in a water bath to 162˚F (72.2˚C).
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to thoroughly combine.
Transfer the mixture evenly into two quart-sized mason jars. Close the lids tightly before loosening it a quarter turn.
Cook the eggnog in the water bath for 90 minutes.
Remove the jars from the bath and allow to sit at room temperature for 45 minutes. Run under cold water for 5 minutes before chilling in an ice bath for 10-15 minutes.
Hold in the fridge until ready to use. Should be consumed within a week of cooking.

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