Egg Nog

From Foodtv.com
Goes well with Christmas cookies & Christmas dinner!!

1/2 vanilla bean
3 eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cream
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Ground mace, to taste

Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds, set aside.

In a bowl over simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla bean seeds. Keep whisking until a ribbon is formed and the mixture has been heated to 140 degrees.

Hold it at this temperature for 2-3 minutes, and allow the mixture to thicken. Stir this mixture into the milk. Stir in the cinnamon.

Refrigerate this for 2 hours or until cold. Whip the cream and add it to the egg mixture.

Sprinkle the top with the mace before serving.

Maple Baked Custard

3 Servings

This simple custard is "baked" on top of the stove. It is equally good for breakfast as it is for a snack or dessert. Serve it with seasonal fruit.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup skim milk or soy milk
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
Ground nutmeg

Instructions:
1. Combine eggs, milk, maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk or beat until well blended.

2. Pour into 3 glass custard cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

3. Place the custard cups on a folded paper towel in a skillet with a tight fitting lid. Pour water into the pan, about 1 inch deep, and cover.

4. Bring the water to a rolling boil.

Remove pan from heat and let sit for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.

5. Serve warm or cold.

Carrot Cake

This delicious, flavorful cake can be iced with Honey Cream Cheese Icing (below) and decorated with a few walnuts.

1/4 cup (2 oz/55 g) butter, softened
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/114 ml) mild oil
3/4 cup (9 oz/263 g) honey
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 oz/178 g) unbleached flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 ml) cinnamon
1 1/2 cups (6 oz/170 g) grated carrots
1/2 cup (1 1/4 oz/35 g) shredded coconut
1/2 (2 oz/57 g) walnuts

With an electric mixer, blend the butter and oil. Slowly pour in the honey and eggs (one at a time) while mixing. Combine the flour and baking soda and sift into the liquid. Add the cinnamon. Stir in the grated carrots, then the coconut, and finally the chopped nuts. Pour the batter into a well-greased 8-inch-square (20-cm-square) pan and bake in a 350° F (177° C) oven for 35 minutes. Ice the cake when cool, if desired.

Honey Cream Cheese Icing
2 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz/43 g) honey
8 ounces (226 g) softened cream cheese

Beat the honey into the softened cream cheese until smooth and well blended. Spread on cooled cake.

Refrigerate cake if icing is used.

Yield: 9 servings