Crème de Vié de Cris (Cuban Egg Nog - sort of)

We finally got Cris to teach us how to make her famous Crème de Vie (pronounced crehm deh vee or crehm deh vieh - it's supposed to be French!). She's been bottling this stuff and giving it as a Christmas goodie for years, and it is always very well received. Now she's decided to share the knowledge. She told us she's tried several recipes through the years and has taken elements from several until finally settling on this one.

After the lesson, we spent the afternoon enjoying pastelitos and other snacks. Cris had made a batch of Crème de Vie weeks ago so we were able to enjoy a glass or two. Everyone got a bottle of the fresh batch to take home and enjoy over the holidays.

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1 cup water
8 egg yolks
12 oz evaporated milk
14 oz condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups white rum
Ground nutmeg for garnish

This recipe makes 1 quart of Crème de Vie

Process

1. Bring sugar and water to a rolling boil until the sugar dissolves and the syrup lightly coats a spoon. Set the syrup aside to cool.

1. Separate and lightly whisk the egg yolks.

1. Add the evaporated and condensed milks to the yolks and whisk.

1. Add the vanilla and rum. Mix well.

1. Slowly add the syrup to the egg mixture after ensuring the syrup has cooled. Mix well.

1. Strain the mixture at least twice to ensure all solid pieces of sugar or egg are removed.

1. Pour into bottles and let them sit for about an hour. Store in the refrigerator.

1. NOTE: Cris recommends refrigerating the crème de vie for a minimum of three weeks, the longer it's stored the smoother it gets.

1. Serve chilled in a liqueur glass or a small glass - a little goes a long way! Garnish with nutmeg if desired.

¡Buen provecho and feliz Navidad!

Do you have any traditional Christmas recipes to share?