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Many store-bought brands of eggnog are so thick that their consistency is closer to McDonald’s eggnog milkshake than an eggnog-infused holiday beverage that should be savored slowly. Fortunately, shaking the drink in a martini shaker without ice emulsifies the conflicting ingredients and adds air to the drink, giving it a nice, frothy stickiness. definitive homemade eggnog recipes It has spades, but is missing from commercial eggnog recipes. Who knew that “stirring, not shaking” would do more than just make you happy? old fashioned chocolate martini Does it taste amazing?

Shaking eggnog with a few ice cubes can make the drink even more enjoyable, taking away the lip-puckering sweet taste that many bottled spirits boast and transforming the drink into something that tastes closer to the classic Christmas drink your grandmother made. Like the martini, shaken eggnog requires ice because it serves a very important function. In addition to uping the drink’s chill factor, the ice dilutes the ‘nog a bit and cuts the overly sweetness of store-bought eggnog. In this respect, ice serves a similar function as intoxicating additives such as rum or brandy, but without the alcoholic effect.

Read more: 13 Types of Beer Glasses and When to Use them

Shakes Eggnog

When it comes to how to test this ‘nog tip’, the best results come from an eggnog that’s basically shaken to within an inch of its life. The shaking motion activates the yolks, which are the emulsifiers in the drink; This encourages all the ingredients to mix together rather than remaining separate and super thick, at least for a while. This technique also helps to give the drink a pleasant foamy consistency. As for how long you should shake your nog, aim for at least 15 seconds.

A cocktail shaker with a built-in strainer Etens’ drink mixeris the tool you need here. While a strainer isn’t that necessary unless you shake your eggnog with ice, it will save drinks if you do. The strainer catches the ice in this drink and keeps it in the shaker, just like in a shaken martini. Creamy eggnog and only eggnog go into the glass.

Conversely, if you don’t have a ‘tini shaker’, try a bottle or container with a lid. For example, a Mason jar with a lid works well. If you don’t have this in your cupboard, a thermos or even a water bottle with a wide lid will work. When you’re ready to serve your chilled, shaken drink, place a brewing funnel over your mug or glass and pour; This will prevent it from spreading all over your glass. At work! Confusion averted.

We Still Make It More Delicious

Nowadays, you will find both alcoholic and plain eggnog in the refrigerated section of markets. In older days, the alcohol in booze served a purpose: It killed harmful bacteria like Salmonella. Thanks good scientists Rockefeller UniversityWe know that eggnog containing 20% ​​alcohol (bourbon and rum for scientific purposes) probably helps keep the drink from turning into a liquid petri dish.

From a taste perspective, this fact is less relevant, considering that booze-infused eggnog tastes good, especially when shaken with a handful of ice cubes. While rum and bourbon remain classic eggnog options, more modern recipes say just about anything will do. Tequila, sherry, and even Kahlúa will up the flavor quotient of this holiday cocktail.

If you’d rather not add alcohol to your shaken eggnog, you’re not short of options when it comes to sweetening it. Let’s face it, some eggnog brands already come with some sort of added flavors, allowing you to get straight to the drinking stage without worrying about spices. However, if you’ve purchased ‘nog’ without the extra flavor factor, you’ll want to look to tradition for ideas. For years, people have added cinnamon and nutmeg to their drinks. McCormick’s apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice also work here. Brown sugar, chocolate or maple syrup would also be perfect in this combination. In the second case, you definitely want mix maple syrup with eggnog To mix well to create a treat as cheerful as Santa’s grin on Christmas morning.

Read Original article about Chowhound.