Eggnog Eclairs

 I love homemade eclairs, they are sooo much better than store bought and really not that hard to make.  This recipe came from Food and Drink and makes a great holiday dessert

EGGNOG PASTRY CREAM
¾ cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (80 mL) cornstarch
3 cups (750 mL) homogenized milk
6 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1 vanilla bean
¼ cup (60 mL) unsalted butter
1 tsp (5 mL) rum extract
¼ tsp (1 mL) each ground cloves and freshly ground nutmeg

CHOUX PASTRY
¾ cup (175 mL) water
¼ cup (60 mL) 2% milk
½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, cubed
Generous pinch each salt and freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, at room temperature

CINNAMON-SUGAR SPRINKLE
¼ cup (60 mL) granulated or coarse sugar
1½ tsp (7 mL) ground cinnamon

1. To prepare eggnog pastry-cream filling, whisk sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk. Whisk in yolks and whole egg until evenly mixed.

2. Using a small paring knife, carefully cut a small slit down side of vanilla bean. Run the blunt side of knife over bean, releasing the seeds. Add vanilla seeds to mixture. Set over medium heat, whisking frequently in order to avoid scrambling, until the first bubble pops, about 6 to 10 minutes. Whisk constantly towards the end. Remove to a heatproof surface. Using a sieve, immediately strain hot mixture into a bowl. Whisk in butter, rum extract, cloves and nutmeg. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled slightly, preferably overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

4. To prepare choux pastry, pour water and milk into a large saucepan. Add butter, salt and nutmeg. Set over medium heat. Heat until steaming and almost boiling but not boiling. Remove from heat. Add flour and immediately stir until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue stirring constantly for 5 to 7 minutes until mixture begins to dry a little. Carefully turn into bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until mixture begins to cool. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, scraping down sides as needed. Beat until smooth.

5. To prepare cinnamon-sugar sprinkle, stir sugar with cinnamon in a small bowl using a fork. Set aside until ready to use.

6. Scrape choux pastry into piping bag, fitted with a ½-inch (1-cm) tip. Pipe 4-inch (10-cm) lines, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide onto 1 large or 2 small parchment-lined baking sheets. Generously sprinkle tops of piped choux pastry with cinnamon-sugar. If you prefer to ice éclairs, see TIP below.

7. Bake in centre of preheated oven for 12 minutes. Reduce heat to 300°F (150°C). Continue baking until bottoms are golden, tops are lightly golden and dry, about 30 more minutes. Remove sheet to a rack. Cool completely.

8. Cut into one side of each éclair without cutting all the way through. Spoon eggnog pastry cream into pastry bag. Pipe cream into cut éclairs. Arrange over a serving plate. Serve immediately.

Makes about 24 éclairs

Easy Eggnog

I know this is out of season but it is too good not to share!  The eggs are cooked so salmonella is not an issue here and the recipe is super easy.  The better the rum, brandy and ice cream the better the eggnog.  From Food and Drink 2000.

3 large eggs
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup rum
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
2 cups milk
Ground nutmeg

1. Place a bowl over a pot of water, making sure the water does not touch the base of the bowl.  Bring to simmer.  Add eggs and sugar and beat over the heat until light and fluffy.  Whisk in brandy and rum, continuing to whisk until mixture has tripled in volume.
2. Remove from heat, cool, then beat in ice cream and milk.  Pour into serving pitcher and chill until needed.  Serve each glass dusted with nutmeg.

Egg Nog

Got this from Food and Drink 2000!  I simple recipe that uses cooked eggs so you don't have to worry about salmonella.

3 large eggs
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup rum
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
2 cups milk
Ground nutmeg

1. Place a bowl over a pot of water, making sure the water does not touch the base of the bowl.  Bring to simmer.  Add eggs and sugar and beat over the heat until light and fluffy.  Whisk in brandy and rum, continuing to whisk until mixture has tripled in volume.
2. Remove from heat, cool then beat in ice cream and milk.  Pour into serving pitcher and chill until needed.  Serve with each glass dusted with nutmeg.

Egg Nog Cookies

Another seasonal favourite, you can make these anytime though - just substitute the eggnog with milk.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg or cardamom
2/3 cup butter
1 slightly beaten egg
1/4 cup eggnog
1/2 cup finely crushed butterscotch or rum flavoured hard candies

1 recipe Eggnog Glaze
Yellow Coloured sugar

* In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg or cardamom.  Cut in butter till pieces are the size of small peas.  Make a well in the centre.  Combine egg and eggnog; add all at once to dry mixture.  Stir till moistened.  Cover and chill dough about 2 hours or till firm enough to handle.

* Line a cookie sheet with foil; set aside.  On a well floured surface roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness.  Using cookie cutters, cut into desired shapes, rerolling trimmings as necessary.  Cut small shaped holes inside the shapes, rerolling trimmings.  Place cookie shapes with holes in centres about 1 inch apart on the foil lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle crushed candies into the holes.

* Bake in a 375F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or till edges are firm and light brown.  Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes.  Carefully transfer the cokies on the foil to a wire rack to cool completely.
When cookies are cool, carefully peel the foil from bottoms of cookies.  Spread the cookie tops with Eggnog Glaze.  If desired, sprinkle with coloured sugar.  Makes about 24 cookies

Eggnog Glaze
In a small mixing bowl stir together 3 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp rum extract, and enough eggnog (2 to 3 tbsp) to make a glaze of spreading consistency.