Families are being invited to step into the kitchen and rustle up a delicious vegan version of America’s favourite Christmas drink – eggnog.
American-born Annie Spaziano, who runs the popular Annie’s Burger Shack burger restaurants in Derby and Nottingham, has concocted a plant-based version of the festive tipple she hopes might help the drink take off on this side of the Atlantic.
Christmas isn’t Christmas in the USA without a glass of eggnog but, while Britain has adopted a host of festive American traditions, eggnog, which first became popular Stateside at the end of the 19th Century, is not one of them.
Now Annie believes she has the answer that could help give eggnog lift-off in British kitchens – replacing the raw egg yolks in the drink with coconut milk, making sure the drink still has its distinctive creamy texture.
Other ingredients in her recipe include oat milk, vanilla extract, Biscoffi sauce and bourbon, giving the drink, which is heated slightly before serving, its winter-warming effect.
Annie, who hails from Rhode Island and opened her Derby restaurant in 2018, said: “I love eggnog, but, like root beer, while it’s drunk everywhere in America, it’s never taken off over here in Britain and nobody seem to drink it at Christmas.
“I think the raw egg has something to do with it, which is why I wanted to use ingredients that avoided having to use a yolk and uses creamy coconut milk instead along with whatever other ingredients they might like to put into it.
“Christmas wouldn’t be the same for me without drinking eggnog. Traditionally, it’s presented in a big bowl and people drink it out of crystal glasses, but we buy it in cartons and it’s just as good.”
Even though eggnog is not popular in Britain, it’s believed to have originated here, when it was known as posset and was enjoyed by the rich, who were the only ones who could afford its pricey ingredients such as eggs and sherry.
It became popular in England’s colonies in the New World and legend has it that it was once served by former president George Washington, who gave it to visitors complete with sherry, rum and rye whiskey, helping to cement its popularity.
It even caused a riot in 1826 when army cadets at West Point were banned from adding whiskey into their Christmas eggnog and, after they protested, their partying descended into violence and chaos.
How to make vegan eggnog
It takes 10 minutes to prepare, plus chilling time and serves four to six people.
Ingredients:
Three cups of oat milk (although you can use almond millk or other milk alternatives)
14oz of coconut milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp Biscoffi sauce
1oz Bourbon (optional)
Put all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk together. Then transfer to a saucepan and heat for … minutes until warm. Pour the mixture into a cocktail shaker, shake for half a minute and then pour into glasses. Sprinkle nutmeg or cinnamon on top to garnish.
For more details visit www.anniesburgershack.com
