An old-fashioned, traditional, and easy to make at home drink is advocaat. Presumably first known as a tropical colonial concoction made with avocados, upon return to the blistery Netherlands, people sought out a creamy replacement for the fatty fruit and chose egg yolks instead. Smart move! Somehow advocaat with creamed avocados doesn't sound as appetizing as eh...raw eggs. Okay. Never mind :-)
Advocaat is a thick, creamy sweet drink, more often eaten with a spoon than sipped, that is also popular as an ice cream topping, as a pie filling, or flavoring for whipped cream or ice cream. Advocaat as a drink, however, has an old-fashioned feel to it: it's considered an old people's drink, predominantly for "ladies-of-a-certain-age", as my friend Hans said, who like to have it served with a dollop of whipped cream on top and eat it out of a dainty glass with a small spoon. Often, at birthdays or other celebrations, an "advocaatje" is offered to the (older) ladies whereas the (older) men get a "borrel", a small glass of Dutch gin, jenever.
Advocaat is served and sold year-round. I never cared much for the store-bought version as it has a distinct aftertaste. However, this homemade advocaat is delightful: it's creamy, sweet, with a hint of brandy and smooth with that whipped cream. Maybe I'm slowly but surely reaching "advocaat"-age. If it is, it's surely something to look forward to!
With the plentiful offering of affordable eggs during the upcoming Easter season, you may want to take advantage of the egg avalanche and try this recipe. The advocaat will hold well while refrigerated for about a week and makes for an interesting and welcome present. In order to avoid any possible food safety issues, you may want to use pasteurized eggs, or make sure the temperature of the advocaat reaches close to 145F for at least 15 seconds before retiring it from the boiler.
 |
| Select a smooth brandy for advocaat |
7 egg yolks
3 eggs
1 cup (200 grams) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) brandy or vodka*
Pinch of salt
Mix the egg yolks, eggs, and sugar in a mixer until foamy, about a good four to five minutes on medium speed. Pinch a little between thumb and index fingertip to see if the sugar has dissolved, as it should not feel gritty. Slowly pour in the brandy or vodka while you keep mixing on low.
Get a double boiler going on the stove (a pan with boiling water in the bottom and a bowl or pan that fits snuggly on top, also called bain-marie), pour the eggy mixture in the top bowl or pan, and stir until the mixture thickens. It's the heat that thickens the eggs, not the stirring itself.
Pay close attention to the heat: if the double boiler gets too hot, the eggs may curdle and the alcohol will dissipate. Pull the bowl as soon as you've reached the 145F/62C temperature (food safety), and place the bowl in an ice bath if possible - it is important that the temperature drops quickly while you keep stirring. For a smooth consistency, you may choose to pour the advocaat through a fine sieve in case you have small lumps.
After you've reached the desired thickness (you're looking for a pourable, thick puddinglike consistency), pour the advocaat in a clean jar or container and refrigerate it overnight, or serve it warm over ice cream or pancakes.
Makes approximately three cups (700 ml) of advocaat. Use the egg whites to make meringue or schuimpjes.
Pay close attention to the heat: if the double boiler gets too hot, the eggs may curdle and the alcohol will dissipate. Pull the bowl as soon as you've reached the 145F/62C temperature (food safety), and place the bowl in an ice bath if possible - it is important that the temperature drops quickly while you keep stirring. For a smooth consistency, you may choose to pour the advocaat through a fine sieve in case you have small lumps.
After you've reached the desired thickness (you're looking for a pourable, thick puddinglike consistency), pour the advocaat in a clean jar or container and refrigerate it overnight, or serve it warm over ice cream or pancakes.
Makes approximately three cups (700 ml) of advocaat. Use the egg whites to make meringue or schuimpjes.
*If you are not fond of alcohol, make the recipe without, and flavor the advocaat with a few drops of non-alcoholic rum extract. If the custard is too thick, thin with a little bit of milk. Keep refrigerated.
Amazon Prime Shopping Suggestions:
- Stainless Series 2-Quart Covered Double Boiler
- Unbleached Parchment Paper for Baking, Precut Parchment Paper Sheets
- Clear Glass Jars
- Powdered Sugar
- Digital kitchen scale (weighs both grams and ounces)
- Dried Lemon Zest
Disclaimer: if you buy through any of the links in the Amazon Prime Shopping Suggestions section, the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program will pay us a small commission on qualifying purchases. It does not increase your cost or price, and it will help us keep the website running. Your support is very much appreciated!
Don't have Amazon Prime but want to give it a try? This link offers a 30 day trial.
