Lait de Poule

As we continue our foray into Christmas in France and accompanying French traditions for the holidays, we had to include Lait de Poule. In fact, you're probably already quite familiar with Lait de Poule at the holidays, but under its English name, eggnog. Literally translated to Hen's Milk, Lait de Poule is a holiday drink that was traditionally enjoyed on Christmas night, but is now embraced throughout the winter season, especially around the holidays.

Pretty identical in composition to the traditional eggnog that you've undoubtedly tasted, Lait de Poule is composed of milk/cream, sugar, and eggs and is often mixed with an liquor component as well.

Whether or not you decide to go boozy, you definitely have to whip up a batch of homemade Lait de Poule this holiday season. That stuff in the carton just cannot compare!

You can even cut the batch and make enough for one in a martini shaker. If making for children and the under-21 crowd, simply omit the alcohol. 

The typical homemade eggnog calls for raw eggs; however, if you're feeling that's just a bit too daring for your holiday celebration, you can follow a cooked egg recipe as well. 

For the traditional uncooked version, we like CHOW's Best Eggnog Recipe (adapted from Jonathan Hunt), but feel free to Google a variety you prefer or come up with your own! If you're looking to whip up a batch of Lait de Poule, Cate from Girl Cooks World can you help you out with her recipe for Lait de Poule - Spiked Eggnog. 

À votre santé and Joyeux Noël!