If you like eggnog, you should make rompope. They’re very close cousins.
Rompope is a cooked custard made with egg yolks, milk, and sugar, gently thickened over heat and finished with vanilla and liquor. The key here is control. Egg yolks start to curdle around 170°F, which is why custards are usually cooked carefully and whisked constantly. In this recipe, the yolks are tempered slowly and cooked just until the mixture thickens to slightly heavier than cream. It stays smooth, pourable, and custardy, without that boxed eggnog heaviness.
What makes this version different is the use of milk powder and a water-based spice infusion. Instead of simmering spices directly in milk, which can increase acidity and raise the risk of curdling, the spices are cooked in water first. The milk powder dissolves easily into that infusion and intensifies the dairy flavor in a way I really like. It also gives the custard a little extra insurance as it cooks. Many rompope recipes rely on baking soda to counteract that acidity. I’d rather avoid that flavor altogether.
Rompope is a great party drink because it can be made ahead and improves as it chills. Serve it cold with a sprinkle of nutmeg, or set out rum, brandy, aguardiente, tequila, or mezcal and let people add their own. I finish mine with a splash of cream for body. In Mexico, you’ll often see nata, which is a sweet, non-acidic cream, richer than milk but softer than heavy cream. It adds richness and decadence which I love. That part is optional. The real point is this. If you’re already thinking about eggnog, this is just as familiar and a lot more rewarding if you make it yourself.
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