Drink Idea: Egg Nog Latte
Like the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, this is one holiday tradition you see every year but can’t imagine skipping.
The idea behind the egg nog latte is simple–replace the milk in a regular latte with egg nog–but there are two key variants that might affect how you’ll make your latte. First, whether you’re using real (i.e., alcoholic) egg nog or not, and second, whether you want to “cut” the egg nog with milk so the final drink isn’t as heavy. With that in mind, here’s how I like to make mine:
- Pull a regular espresso shot directly into your latte mug.
- Add one tablespoon of rum and one tablespoon of bourbon (I like Sailor Jerry’s and Maker’s)
- Steam a pitcher of 1/2 milk and 1/2 storebought egg nog and add.
- Garnish with nutmeg and cardamom.
I feel like lattes using all egg nog get too thick and syrupy, so I like to use half milk and half storebought egg nog. It’s much easier to get a velvety, even texture with the steam wand that way, as egg nog by itself doesn’t steam well. Also, if you add rum and bourbon, you want to make sure you’re not adding something with a lot of sugar already in it like Captain Morgan or Jack Daniel’s–if you’d like a sweeter drink, it’s better to just add sugar directly to the espresso instead.
Enjoy!
3 comments
Oh, I like the idea of adding a bit of rum and bourbon to the latte for a nice post-dinner holiday drink. I shall have to try that.
I also cut my eggnog w/half milk. I don’t like the full eggnog nearly so much – once it cools even slightly, the texture turns me off.
Erm, I got here by way of your other half’s LJ, by the by, having noticed you to be a kindred spirit coffee connoisseur. I got heavily into coffee a couple of years back, getting my own espresso machine, a really good burr grinder, and even going so far as to roast my own beans. *cough* My husband, who doesn’t drink it at all, finds my obsession with good coffee both strange and endearing.
Rhien–
Agreed, egg nog gets too thick when you use too much of it and for me it’s like trying to drink a wet blanket.
My wife is patient with my coffee OCD, but herself is not much of a coffee drinker. I maintain that coffee is like beer or wine; if you think you don’t like it, you just haven’t had a truly good example of it yet.
-a
I maintain that coffee is like beer or wine; if you think you don’t like it, you just haven’t had a truly good example of it yet.
Absolutely true! A good friend once e-mailed me a question about why his home produced espresso did not taste like the lattes he buys at Bux or other coffee houses. His seemingly innocent question produced a rather involved response detailing the failings of supermarket purchased coffee, the need for freshly roasted beans and a good burr grinder, and the inadequacy of his Krups.
He now has a Gaggia MDF burr grinder and Gaggia Coffee espresso machine, though I think he still buys his coffee at Safeway, sadly.
Leave a Comment