FOOD NEWS
16 Mistakes Everyone Makes With Homemade Eggnog
BY DANI ZOELLER
Fresh Eggs
To avoid any health hazards, always opt for the freshest eggs available when making eggnog, and trust your senses to guide you in assessing their quality.
Whipping Time
A common step in eggnog recipes is whipping the egg whites into soft peaks. It’s very easy to over or under-whip the egg whites, so you’ll need to pay close attention.
To identify when you've reached the soft peak stage, watch when you lift the mixer out. The tip of the whipped egg whites should gently fold over.
Hand Whipping
Whipping egg whites into soft peaks by hand is exhausting, and you’re likely to grow tired before you achieve it, so it’s best to use an electric mixer or stand mixer.
Small Bowls
Use bowls that are much larger than you think you'll need to whip your eggnog ingredients. This approach significantly reduces the risk of overflow.
Not only is switching to a larger bowl mid-process inconvenient, but it will also leave you with more of a mess, meaning you'll end up with more dishes to clean.
Eggs And Sugar
When making eggnog, you’ll also need to whip the yolks. A crucial tip from culinary expert Alton Brown is to avoid adding sugar to the egg yolks at the start.
If you mix sugar into the yolks without whipping them first, you risk creating a chunky and unappealing texture in your eggnog.
The key is to first thoroughly whip the egg yolks until they are smooth and well-aerated. After you achieve a consistent, creamy texture, you can gradually add sugar.