Okay … I am honestly a little nervous to share this recipe today because I’m pretty sure the Puerto Rican side of my family would have some major issues with me changing such a holiday staple. But, I’m going to do it anyway because, that’s the whole point of this project!
It may seem a little early to start with the holiday recipes but November is right around the corner and we all know that once we reach November, Thanksgiving comes in a flash and Christmas sprints in right after. I was going through my family recipe book, trying to decide which recipe I wanted to tweak and share with you all this week and as soon as I came across the holiday section, I knew I wanted to give this one a shot.
Like I said, coquito is Spanish eggnog. It is made with egg yolks, condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream of coconut, vanilla extract, rum and cinnamon. Sooooo there’s nothing healthy about it. Look, before I get into the recipe, I want to remind you that living a healthy life does NOT mean eating (or in this case drinking) perfectly healthy all of the time. It’s about balance and moderation. That being said, over the holidays, we notoriously overeat and over indulge so when there are simple tweaks to be made, even if only ONE dish during this time of year, I think it’s worth it. It’s what helps us start the new year without the feeling of bloat that everybody complains about once the holiday season has passed.
Okay, eggnog. Let’s do this.
Original (totally amazing and delicious) recipe:
- 1 dozen egg yolks
- 1 can condensed milk
- 4 cans evaporated milk
- 1 can cream of coconut
- 2 oz vanilla extract
- Rum to taste (my family uses a LOT of Bacardi)
- Ground cinnamon
Beat egg yolks with cinnamon until well blended in blender. Add condensed milk and vanilla and blend together. Add cream of coconut and 2 cans evaporated milk and blend again. Add remaining evaporated milk and blend once more. Add rum and cinnamon and SHAKE IT UP. This is an incredibly rich and dense recipe (in case you couldn’t tell) so it should be served chilled and in small shot glasses to be sipped. Fun fact: I bring this to my in-laws’ Christmas Eve party every year and my husband and his friends take shots of it for their annual toast. It’s very sweet but doesn’t leave much coquito for the rest of the guests so if you make this for a crowd, be sure to hide some for yourself.
HEALTHIER version (still pretty indulgent so don’t go crazy):
- 1 dozen egg yolks
- 1 can light condensed milk
- 4 cans low fat evaporated milk
- 1 can light cream of coconut
- 2 oz vanilla extract
- DARK rum to taste
- Ground cinnamon
Instructions are the same!
Rebecca McKinney
I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.
So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!
Eat well & travel often,
Becky McKinney
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