Festive Holiday Eggnog

Directions

1. Pour the heavy cream into a medium pot with a thick bottom. Add approximately half of the sugar and the vanilla bean to the pot. Place on the stove on medium heat. Combine remaining sugar, eggs and salt in a large bowl; whisk until foamy.
2. Remove cream mixture from heat once it comes to a simmer. Slowly add to the bowl with the egg mixture, stirring to combine.
3. Pour the combined mixture back into the pot and return to stove. Whisk continuously until the liquid reaches a temperature of 165 degrees.
4. Remove from heat once it reaches desired temperature and pour through strainer into a clean bowl.
5. Place bowl into prepared ice bath.*
6. Add bourbon, cinnamon and nutmeg once the mixture is cold. Serve in rocks glasses. Garnish with additional nutmeg and cinnamon, adding cinnamon sticks if desired.

*To make an ice bath, fill a bowl or pot (larger than the bowl you will use in step 7) with ice and cold water just before you begin the cooking process. Be careful not to fill with so much water it will overflow when the bowl is placed in the bath.