christmas eggnog

[Lynda]

Creamy Christmas Eggnog

Soft Custard (below)
1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup rum
1 or 2 drops yellow food color, if desired
Ground nutmeg

Prepare Soft Custard

Just before serving, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in
chilled medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Gently
stir 1 cup of the whipped cream, the rum and food color into custard.

Pour custard mixture into small punch bowl. Drop remaining whipped cream in
mounds onto custard mixture. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve immediately.
Refrigerate any remaining eggnog.

Soft Custard
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup sugar
Dash of salt
2 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix eggs, sugar and salt in heavy 2-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in milk.
Cook over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture
just coats a metal spoon; remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Place saucepan
in cold water until custard is cool. (If custard curdles, beat vigorously
with hand beater until smooth.) Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but
no longer than 24 hours.