CBD Eggnog in Brooklyn with Jose

This post is a part of our Recipe series. We’ve partnered with talented bakers, chefs, and bartenders to bring you unique and adventurous CBD oil recipes you can make at home.

Things around the Populum office are just as you’d imagine the holidays to be in the midwest. There’s been a blanket of snow on the ground for a week and a half, it’s always cold but it’s early in the season so you don’t mind yet, and because it’s dark by 5PM, the downtown skyline glitters with Christmas lights as we all bundle up to head home for the evening. It’s hard not to be wooed by the romance of it all, and our team is ready to get into it.

Today, we’re revving up the holiday spirit by sharing a recipe for something that’s a perfect partner to a chilly December night: eggnog - with CBD, of course! Our New York team members are no strangers to cold winter nights either, and they’ve partnered with Brooklyn-based bartender Jose to bring you this special Populum-edition holiday cocktail.

Jose made this cocktail for us on a brisk evening in cozy Bed-Stuy apartment. Most evenings, Jose is crafting unique cocktails behind the bar at one of two stellar bars he works at in Bed-Stuy and Long Island City. He invited us to his apartment to try his version of eggnog, and we loved sipping it next to a mini Christmas tree, which is sometimes the best you can do in those tiny New York apartments. He has “Eggnog is a classic and timeless representation of the holiday season,” he says. “ the orange flavor in the oil pairs well with rum and apple brandy, especially with the richness of the eggnog.” It’s the perfect rich, creamy night-cap to a cold December night.

This recipe is in two parts. For those of you who are ambitious in the kitchen, we’re including a recipe to make your eggnog from scratch, and it makes . If you’re really trying to bowl over your friends, making your own eggnog is a surefire way to get yourself showered with compliments. It’s not for the faint of heart, but the payoff is rich. For those of you who are looking for a quicker, simpler way to spike your holiday punch bowl, no one will mind if you run out to the store and grab some eggnog from a carton. Pre-purchased eggnog is also a great idea if you’re just making one or two glasses for a cozy night by the fire. In that case, you can jump ahead to the cocktail portion of this post.

The Eggnogg

If you’re making this for a party, you can prepare the eggnog in up to three days in advance to take the pressure off yourself while leading your guests to believe you’re a real holiday elf.

What you'll need:

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• ½ cup sugar

1. Combine the milk and cream in a saucepan on low heat. You can use any kind of milk you like, but Jose recommends using whole milk for more flavor and texture. The heavier the milk, the smoother and creamier your eggnog will be.
2. While the milk and cream warm, separate the egg whites from their yolks. Set the whites aside.
3. Whisk the yolks and gradually add 1/2 cup sugar. Don’t add it all at once, but in small amounts at a time so that it mixes evenly and smoothly.
4. Temper the yolk and sugar. Tempering keeps the eggs from curdling, and you’ll do this by adding one cup of the warm milk and cream mixture from the stove into the yolk and sugar mixture, and stir until everything is well-incorporated.
5. Pour the yolk and sugar mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk and cream mixture. Mix everything together until all the ingredients are smooth and the mixture is warm, then take the pan off of the heat.
6. Next, whisk the egg whites into a meringue and fold them into the mixture with a spatula.
7. Add 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract.
8. Pour the mixture into an airtight container and let cool in refrigerator for at least one hour.

The Cocktail

What you'll need:

• Eggnog
• 2 oz apple brandy
• ½ dropper Signature 500 Hemp Oil
• A pinch of cinnamon

Using a jigger or a measuring cup, measure out 4 oz of the eggnog mixture and pour it into a shaking tin.

Add 2 oz of apple brandy to the shaking tin. You can use cognac or dark rum if you don’t have apple brandy, but we highly recommend using apple brandy as the crisp seasonal flavor nicely compliments the orange essence in our CBD oil.

Add 1/2 dropper (½ ml) of CBD oil.

Add an ice cube. Shaking the mixture with ice in it will emulsify the cocktail, which will help the oil mix well with the rest of the ingredients.

Shake for about four seconds so that the ice doesn’t melt too far.

Pour over ice and add fresh cinnamon or nutmeg on top for garnish.

If you try out this recipe, show some love and let us know by Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or carrier pigeon.