Ingredients
1-3/4 cups sugar1/4 cup all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon salt2 quarts 2% milk6 large eggs, beaten1 cup apricot brandy or brandy1/2 cup rum2 tablespoons bourbon2 tablespoons vanilla extract1 quart half-and-half cream1/2 teaspoon ground nutmegOptional: Turbinado (washed raw) sugar, ground cinnamon and pirouette cookies
Preparation
In a Dutch oven, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly, 15 minutes. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
Stir a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 5 minutes.
Transfer to a large bowl; cool quickly by placing bowl in ice water and stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in the brandy, rum, bourbon and vanilla. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Just before serving, stir in cream and nutmeg. If desired, mix turbinado sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl; dip rims of glasses into a shallow dish of water then into the sugar mixture, pressing lightly to adhere. Fill glasses with eggnog and if desired, serve with pirouette cookies.
