Spirited holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years beg for a celebratory cocktail with spicy personality that measures up to the energetic vitality of the season. The quantity of brandy in this nog is a gentle starting point.
Brandied Holiday Nog
I often serve a tiny pitcher of extra brandy with this so guests can crank up the holiday spirit a notch or two. You can also serve this tasty nog without the brandy and still enjoy a well-spiced festive beverage.
This rich and satisfying nog is one of the delicious recipes in my Vegan for the Holidays cookbook.
Yield: 6 (6-ounce) servings
2 cups vanilla soymilk
1 cup cashews
1/2 cup apple juice
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- Put 1 cup of the soymilk and the cashews in the blender. Process on high speed for 1 minute, or until smooth and creamy.
- Add the remaining 1 cup of soymilk, the apple juice, maple syrup, brandy, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves and process until thick and creamy, stopping occasionally to scrape down the blender jar.
- To serve, pour the nog into glasses and sprinkle each with a pinch of nutmeg if desired. If preparing in advance, pour the nog into a 1 1/2-quart pitcher and refrigerate.
Note: The nog will thicken slightly and tends to separate when refrigerated. Refresh with a brief whirl in the blender or whisk vigorously just before serving.
Vegan for the Holidays Blog 