I made eggnog from scratch once for a party, during college. It was positively amazing. It consisted of sugar, brandy, heavy cream, eggs and a pinch of nutmeg. It ought to have been called devil's nog. The stuff was pure evil! But tasty.
Sadly the eggnog you buy at the store is nothing like the eggnog I made. It's not fluffy and boozy, just cloying and thick. Every year I forget this and buy a quart. So this year after my first disappointing cup I decided to cook with it instead of drinking it. For years I've seen recipes for eggnog pancakes. But when I went to make them my printer wasn't working and I was too lazy to write down the ingredients. So I made up my own version. It turned out surprisingly good.
Eggnog is really not much different than a custard. You could use it in all sorts of recipes. You can make milkshakes out of it or use it in french toast, bread pudding, pot de creme, ice cream, and maybe even crepes. If you have a favorite use for leftover eggnog let me know about it.
Eggnog Pancakes
serves 2-3
1 Cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt
2 Tablespoons oil
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Cup eggnog
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. In a small bowl combine the oil, egg and eggnog. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just mixed and larger lumps disappear. Let batter sit for 5 minutes. Cook over medium-low heat on a griddle or large skillet, flip when bubbles form on the surface of the pancake. Pancakes are done when pale brown on each side. Serve with powdered sugar or maple syrup.
Enjoy!
Amy Sherman is a San Francisco–based writer, recipe developer, restaurant reviewer and all around culinary enthusiast. She blogs for Epicurious , Bay Area Bites and Cooking with Amy .