1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
Off heat, whisk eggs, yolks, sugar and salt in heavy 3- or
4-quart saucepan. Stir in milk, 1/2 cup at a time, blending well after each addition.
Heat slowly over lowest possible flame, stirring
constantly, until custard registers 160 degrees on instant-read
thermometer, thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 25 to 30 minutes.
Pour custard through sieve into large bowl; stir in liquor, vanilla and grated nutmeg. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well-chilled, at least three hours and up to three days.
Just before serving, whip cream in medium bowl to very soft
peaks and gently fold into custard mixture until incorporated. Serve in chilled punch bowl or cups, garnishing with optional grated nutmeg.
Serves 12 to 16
Note: Adding the milk to the eggs in small increments and
blending thoroughly after each one helps ensure a smooth custard. To
prevent curdling, do not heat custard beyond 160 degrees. If it does
begin to curdle, remove from heat immediately and pour into a bowl set over a larger bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, and proceed with recipe.
You can omit the brandy to make a nonalcoholic eggnog, but you should also decrease the cream to 1/4 cup to keep the right consistency.
For the same reason, increase the cream to 3/4 cup if you choose to add another 1/2 cup alcohol for a high-test nog
