Eggnog

• In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, cream, cinnamon stick and nutmeg. Warm over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until steam rises and small bubbles form at the edges, about 5–8 minutes.
  4 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cinnamon stick, 1.25 tsp ground nutmeg
• Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale and thick, about 2–3 minutes.
  5 large egg yolks, 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• Temper the yolks by slowly pouring ½ cup of the warm milk mixture into them, whisking constantly to avoid curdling.
• Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan. Cook on low, stirring gently, until the custard coats the back of a spoon and reaches 160°F, about 4–5 minutes.
  5 large egg yolks
• Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract and discard the cinnamon stick.
  1 tsp vanilla extract
• Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.