Our favorite holiday beverage recipes.

[polkanut]

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">For some of us, the holidays includes a favorite beverage that is a tradition.  One such drink has become a must do at our house this time of year.  I found this Bailey's Irish Cream recipe several years ago in a hospital auxiliary cookbook, and it's been a hit ever since.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">1 ½ cups  Canadian whisky</span>

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)</span>

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">1 pt. heavy whipping cream</span>

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">2 eggs</span>

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">4 tbsp. chocolate syrup</span>

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">½ tsp. vanilla</span>

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">4 tbsp. water</span>

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">Mix everything above in blender until well mixed.  Mix with coffee or serve over ice.  Store in refrigerator up to 2 months.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">(This recipe has the added bonus of getting to use a vintage appliance if desired)</span>

 

[this post was last edited: 12/5/2014-06:25]

 

[jeffg]

Wow sounds great imo. When you say mix with coffee, do you mean use it as a replacement creamer? Also is it the alcohol or sugar that allows raw eggs, heavy cream and milk to stay unspoiled for two months?

 

[polkanut]

Yes Jeff, you can use it as a replacement creamer.  I prefer to do a ratio of ¼ coffee to ¾ Irish Cream. 

  I believe it's the alcohol that allows for the extended storage time.  It never lasts that long around here though. lol

 

[xraytech]

Around the holidays I enjoy drinking Kir Imperials
I prefer to use an Asti then top it off with some Chambord.

It's a good reason to break out the lovely hand blown champagne saucers

 

[mattl]

polkanut, I've been making that for years, but use Irish Whiskey, ala' Irish cream...

 

It does keep well.  Might try making it with a cheaper whiskey this year and see if it's as good.  It got kind of pricey when the whiskey goes for $25/ bottle -- I always make a double batch.

 

[polkanut]

Matt,

<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">We usually have Canadian whisky in the house at all times, and my recipe actually calls for it.  Our brands of choice are either Windsor or McMaster's.</span>

 

[goatfarmer]

My favorite? Jim Beam, on the rocks. Not just for holidays.

 

[polkanut]

Percolator Punch

This recipe is a great non-alcoholic drink for those that can't or don't want to indulge in spirits.  It smells wonderful as it's perking too!

1 qt apple cider

1 pt cranberry juice

1 pt orange juice

¼ cup sugar

1 tbsp whole allspice

1 tbsp. whole cloves

3 cinnamon sticks, broken up

Put first 3 ingredients in a 12 cup electric percolator.  Put remaining ingredients in the basket, and perk like coffee.  Serve hot, and enjoy!

 

(This recipe too provides for the opportunity to use a vintage appliance)

 

[mikael3]

I remember percolator punch from way back. In many parts of the South, alcohol was never seen on any respectable table.  It might have been smelled, but it wasn't seen.

 

It's very important to use a very clean percolator for this punch.  I remember careless hostesses serving punch that had a strong taste aftertaste of stale coffee.  Really nasty stuff, that. 

 

[vintagekitchen]

Boiled Custard!

Wouldn't be Christmas without it. All the richness of eggnog, without the wretched texture. Just velvety and wonderful. Yes it takes a while to make, but trust me, its worth it.

1 quart whole milk
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
Pinch salt
2 tsp vanilla

Put milk into top of double boiler over boiling water, to begin heating.

Beat eggs and sugar and salt until light, whisk in 1/3 of warmed milk, whisk mixture back into milk in double boiler.

Keep cooking and whisking or stirring until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This can take anywhere from 1/2 hour to an hour.

Remove top pot from double boiler,stir in vanilla, and place pot in a bowl of ice water and continue whisking or stirring until cooled. Either serve, with a sprinkle of nutmeg, or refrigerate. For the adults, add a good splash of dark rum, preferably spiced dark rum, or bourbon.

Optional-- at the beginning, use a vegetable peeler to get a few good strips of orange rind, drop them in the mixture, and remove at the end. Gives it a little something extra. I like this, but don't always have an orange handy, lol.

Dont try to rush it by skipping the double boiler, or the eggs cook too fast, ruining the texture and giving it an eggy taste. Dont try to use 2% or skim milk, you need the fat content of whole milk for proper thickening and texture.

 

[joeekaitis]

Double-Strength Mexican Hot Chocolate

Break a block of Mexican chocolate (Ibarra or Abuelita) along the score lines into a heat-resistant blender jar. Grind to a powder but stop before the friction heat causes it to melt and recongeal. Add 2/3 cup nonfat dry milk, 2 heaping teaspoons instant decaffeinated coffee and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour in 1 pint of boiled water (allowed to cool about a minute to both prevent curdling and avoid breaking the blender jar if it's glass). Blend 3 minutes at the fastest speed, divide quickly into two big mugs. Wait about a minute for the froth collect at the top before imbibing.

For a little extra internal "warmth", toss a jigger of whiskey or Kahlua into the bottom of each mug before pouring in the hot chocolate.

 

[tolivac]

My favorites are simple--EGG NOG!!!!Esp Southern Comfort brand.To prepare them I put what I am going to drink in my Blendtec or Vita-Mix.Next get the cinnamin shaker and shake in a GEBEROUS amount of Cinnamin.then a similar amount of Nutmeg.Blend at lo speed until just mixed.
Mexican Chocolate-again use this with my Choco Banana shake/smoothie.Just combine the milk,banananas,chocolate mix and a few shakes of the cinnamin shaker into the VM or Blendtec container-then blend on a smoothie cycle.

 

[frigilux]

These are very simple to make,LOL!

 

[58limited]

Tim,

That is very similar to my Irish Cream recipe but I choose to leave the eggs out. One bottle of whiskey will make three batches.

Here is my Colonial Wassail recipe. This really has a good "holiday" smell when heating up:

1 bottle Merlot (Turning Leaf brand is my favorite for this, although it is not the merlot I would drink normally)

2 cups Cranberry Juice Coctail

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 cup brandy (I usually add a full cup)

1/2 cup water

Combine all ingredients except brandy and heat covered to prevent alcohol from evaporating. Add brandy when you are ready to serve. If you wish you can add other spices such as ginger or cloves.

 

[jkbff]

Tom and Jerry batter is popular up here... *blech*

I'm more of a warm chocolaty minty cocktail kind of guy..

 

[mikael3]

Brandy Alexander.

This is an oldy that I associate with women of a certain age.  It hits the spot for winter because of the cream.

 

2 oz brandy

1 oz white or dark crème de cacao (or half of each, which I prefer)

2 oz cream

 

Give it shake with some ice and strain it into a cocktail glass, straight up.  Top with grated nutmeg.

 

The ‘Alexander’ was the original.  It’s made with gin instead of brandy, and only white cacao.  It’s surprisingly refreshing.