Saturday, January 5, 2013

Raw Egg Nog


I was so excited to find this recipe - it's so much easier to make than my old recipe (which needed to be cooked carefully and strained to get out any clumps in the cooked eggs - plus I hated to cook my good, raw milk!) This one just needs to be mixed together (use your blender for a regular batch, or a stick blender for a double batch), and it's ready! We had this for breakfast Christmas morning with our cinnamon rolls. YUM!

(If you're not into raw eggs, you can cook this in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to thicken.)

Raw Egg Nog  
(you can make this with pasteurized milk and cream if you don't have access to quality raw milk)
2 cups raw cream
2 cups raw milk
3 fresh organic pastured eggs (or more, if desired) (only use raw eggs if you're confident of your source!)
1/3 cup raw honey*
1 tsp vanilla extract
rum to taste
Mix all in a blender and enjoy!

*Update: Instead of using raw honey and vanilla, you can make this with maple syrup instead. I like it even better this way!

(Did you know maple syrup naturally has vanillin in it? So you don't need to add extra vanilla extract in recipes that include maple syrup. There's your fun fact of the day!) 😉


Sourdough Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls with Pumpkin Spice Honey Butter Filling and Cream Cheese Honey Frosting

Wow, that's a long title! These are a little putzy to make, but so worth it. We made these for breakfast Christmas morning (with homemade raw eggnog on the side - yum!)



Sourdough Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls
with Pumpkin Spice Honey Butter Filling
and Cream Cheese Honey Frosting 
(makes 12)
Sponge (must rise overnight):
1/2 cup starter, at room temperature
3/4 cup warm water
2 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour
1/2 cup plain mashed potatoes (or pureed pumpkin works great, too!)
Mix these together in a large glass bowl, cover with cheesecloth, and let rise overnight, or until light and bubbly.

In the morning, stir down the sponge and add:
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil, lard, melted butter, or coconut oil
2 Tbsp honey
2 cups whole wheat flour
Mix all well (I start with a spoon and finish with my hands as it gets thick), and add more flour as needed to prevent stickiness. Dough should be soft and smooth yet pliable. Place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover and let rise until double in a warm place (about 2 hours). Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface, about 21x16 inches and ¼ inch thick. 

Spread with filling:
1/3 cup butter, melted
½ cup honey
2 Tbsp cinnamon

Working carefully, roll the dough into a long tube (so that it stays 21 inches long). Cut the dough into 12 slices (dental floss works great for this – wrap it around the roll, then pull ends apart, and it will slice right through without squashing the dough). Place in a 9x13 glass pan, loosely covered, and let rise until double. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. 

While rolls bake, prepare icing:
8 oz softened cream cheese
1-2 Tbsp honey (more or less to taste)
1 tsp vanilla
Mix well and drizzle over rolls.