Ingredients

3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups skim-milk powder (Carnation)
1/2 cup sugar
3 2 1/2-inch sticks of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons glucose (available at New York Cake and Baking)
3 tablespoons invert sugar (at New York Cake and Baking)
2/3 cup egg yolks (about 10 eggs)
2 teaspoons ice cream or sorbet stabilizer (at New York Cake and Baking)
3 cups cream
1/3 cup brandy
1/4 cup dark rum
4 ounces American sturgeon caviar
4 tablespoons finely diced and toasted pumpernickel bread

Instructions

Heat the milk, milk powder, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla seeds in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until almost boiling. Remove from heat and infuse for 30 minutes. Strain and return to medium-low heat until the mixture reaches 122 degrees.

Stir in the glucose and invert sugar and continue heating until it reaches 85 degrees, then temper the egg yolks into the mixture. Reheat until the temperature reaches 185 degrees, stirring constantly. Whisk in the stabilizer and cook for 1 minute. Strain the liquid into the cold cream and set aside to cool before stirring in the brandy and rum.

Stir well before spinning in an ice-cream machine, then place in freezer. To serve, place two scoops of eggnog ice cream into 8 small bowls. Top with a teaspoon of caviar and scatter with the croutons. Yields one quart.

(Published 2005)