Soft Custard (below)
1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup rum
1 or 2 drops yellow food color, if desired
Ground nutmeg


Prepare Soft Custard

Just before serving, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in chilled medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Gently stir 1 cup of the whipped cream, the rum and food color into custard.

Pour custard mixture into small punch bowl. Drop remaining whipped cream in mounds onto custard mixture. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve immediately. Refrigerate any remaining eggnog.

Soft Custard
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup sugar
Dash of salt
2 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix eggs, sugar and salt in heavy 2-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture just coats a metal spoon; remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Place saucepan in cold water until custard is cool. (If custard curdles, beat vigorously with hand beater until smooth.) Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

Makes 8 servings, about 2/3 cup each

This recipe displayed with permission from General Mills, Inc.