When Life Gives You Eggnog: Waffles and Ice Cream

Catch one on your tongue.

I don't know about your family, but my MiL makes the best eggnog I've ever had in my life. If you've never had truly awesome home made eggnog, and have only had the phlegmy store bought stuff, you 1) have my sympathies, and 2) may not understand my strong desire not to waste a drop of it. It really is a rich, creamy treat among the many treats available every Christmas.

As wonderful as her eggnog is, however, my MiL (in her ever-wonderous generosity), makes too much each year, and it's up to me to discover new ways to use the remainder of it before things go tragic. This year I'd decided to make eggnog waffles instead of eggnog pancakes, and to use just the middle of the waffle iron to give the waffles a spiffy snowflake pattern. Having had two cups of delicious eggnog remaining after making a batch of waffles, I decided that eggnog ice cream was the way to go. Here's how to make them both:

First, Eggnog Waffles (standard waffle recipe, and my tweaks are italicized):

Ingredients

2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups prepared eggnog
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat waffle iron. Beat eggs in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy. Beat in flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla, just until smooth. Do this in thirds (one third liquid to one third flour/salt/sugar) at a time for easier mixing.

2. Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray (if required). Pour mix onto hot waffle iron. Cook until little steam is coming from the waffle iron and the waffles are golden brown. Serve hot or let cool and store in zip top bags in the fridge for a day or two or in the freezer to reheat in the oven or toaster.

Frozen eggnog? Sign me up!

Next, Eggnog Ice Cream (Emeril's recipe, formatted the same as above):

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups eggnog

3/4 cup sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Good quality chocolate, for garnish**

Directions

Gently heat the eggnog in a saucepan to 160 degrees. Use a clip thermometer to keep track so that you can remove the pan from heat before the eggnog scalds. This will cook the raw egg in the eggnog*.  Let cool to room temperature.

Whisk all ingredients together until sugar dissolves. Pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. After the ice cream is made, transfer to an airtight container. Cover tightly and freeze until ready to serve.

There you have it. If you don't have any leftover eggnog this year, get ready for next year and make some for New Year's Eve!


*Since, unlike the waffles, you're not cooking the ice cream. Let's be careful out there.

** You could also do as I've done and take the debris from a gifted-and-devoured box of See's Candies' Victoria Toffee and sprinkle it over the top. I recommend it.