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Punch de Creme (recipe)

17 December 2008 15,039 views View Comments
This entry is part 9 of 9 in the series Trini Christmas

Trini Christmas

Punch De Creme

This entry was originally published on December 14, 2006. I am reposting it today for your holiday enjoyment :) For other Traditional Trinidadian Christmas recipes, visit my post In Trinidad Christmas is Parang! :)

Punch de Creme, is another of Trinidad’s traditional Christmas drinks. It is a rum drink, basically our version of eggnog. Unlike sorrel and ginger beer it’s taken me a while to get around to posting this recipe because it’s not something that has ever been made in my house. I have really been taken by surprise by the number of searches that occur daily for this beverage! See growing up in a bi-cultural home I’m not always sure which parts of my worldview to ascribe to Trinidad or to Jamaica. To me holidays is always Ginger beer (and mom says that’s how it is in Jamaica) but ginger beer is being beaten 100 to 1 in searches by punch de creme! So to my 2-sided Trinis is this because it’s a more elusive recipe or is it because it really is that much more popular? I never thought it would out trump sorrel either!

One thing that I really like about punch de creme (as opposed to traditional eggnog) is the use of citrus flavors like lime and Angostura bitters (which has orange extract). This gives the ‘nog’ a fruity lightness that alleviates the sweet creaminess (which could easily get cloying).

Anyways, I guess I’ll be sipping on this one all by myself. Oh the horrors :P (Oh wait, my father is eyeing it now … yup he’s started glugging :P )

ETA: Thanks to Michelle, I’ve realized that no Punch de Creme post would be complete without a reference to the late Lord Kitchener’s classic calypso “Drink Ah Rum (and a Punch de Creme)”. Here it is!


Ponche De Creme
——————————————————————————–

Recipe By: Naparima Girl’s High School Cookbook

Ingredients:

6 eggs
3 tins evaporated milk (15oz. low-fat)
1-1/2 tins sweetened condensed milk (14 oz ea.)
1/2 c. rum
2 teaspoons Angostura bitters
grated nutmeg
zest of one lime

Mise en Place

Directions:

1. Beat eggs with lime peel until light and fluffy

2. Add evaporated milk
3. Sweeten to taste with condensed milk.
4. Add bitters, grated nutmeg, and rum according to taste.

5. Strain
6. serve with crushed ice.

Serves 12


Spelling Variations: Ponch de Crema, Punch a Creme, Ponche de Creme

  • alicia
    what kind of rum do you use, brand? I used punchean in a ponche ah creme recipe and it didn't turn out too good.
  • Hi Alicia, I've always used white rum and even the cheapest kinds haven't given any problems. What issues did you run into?
  • christiebakes
    I think this should taste OK with refrigerated egg substitute. I use it in my homemade "Irish cream liqueuer" and it tastes great as well as safer to drink in the U.S. with raw-egg concerns (those germies!) ;o
  • LadyBug
    The purpose of the bottle of strong or aged rum is to cook the eggs. Mke sure it is well beaten before the other ingredients are added. I stand with the gentleman who suggested that the rum (Overproof...in his case) counteracts bacteria.
  • Hi,
    I found your picture in this website.http://www.indobase.com/recipes/details/calypso-punch.php
    If it was done without your permission, ask them to remove it.

    <abbr>Divya Vikram’s last blog post..Savoury cookies</abbr>
  • Thank you divya! I will definitely take action.
  • Jaz Borden
    I actually don't like my punch de creme thick so I suppose it's a matter of preference. This is a great, simple recipe for a delicious drink!
  • Jaz - I also don't like it thick, find it cloying and unpleasant on the back of my throat. That's one reason why I really like the addition of lime zest in this recipe. Gives a much welcome tanginess that cuts through what is sometimes (for me) an overpowering condensed milk vibe.
  • ayana
    If u ask me....punch de creme is to be serve chilled ...no ice and the original recipe requires it to be thick and cremey...that is wat distinguishes it from baileys or any other island drink....I love it..........
  • Pam
    I am not sure about this as the eggs are not cooked...and I don't think that we should be eating raw eggs anymore. My mother in law makes this but she cooks it over a low heat for about 30 minutes.
  • Feel free to use whichever method you prefer. I have never had any problems.
  • the drink looks interesting ha just dropping by

    <abbr>sgfoodlover’s last blog post..Yu kee duck rice and kway chap</abbr>
  • Sebastian
    sounds good.... i will try this soon.
  • That looks like a drink right up my alley!

    <abbr>courtney’s last blog post..Coconut Island Bread For A Great Cause</abbr>
  • Nicole
    I do 9-3-3. 9 eggs, 3 evap and 3 condensed milk. Lime peel to beat the eggs and bitters and nutmeg at the end to taste. Oh and one full bottle of white rum!
  • Dawn
    P.S. By equal ratio, I mean only 2 cans of condensed milk and 2 cans of evaporated milk.
  • Dawn
    I tried Juliette's grandmother's recipe - it IS the original (sorry, Naparima Girls), and everyone loved it! In today's health conscious society (yes, even we Trini's), I found that an equal ratio of condensed milk and evaporated milk makes a less fattening drink (still tastes good too).
  • That sounds like a CREME de punche, Juliette! :D heee :D
    Let me/us know how it turns out and if you want to share it after feel free :) I'll credit you of course! :D
  • Juliette
    Tried this recipe and like a fool used a blender (need a tap for that!)
    and my lime peel just blended away into the drink!
    My mom gave me a recipe for ponch a creme handed down from my grandmother
    and it is done much differently to the Naparmia cookbook.

    Firstly, only the yellow of the egg is used and not the whole egg!
    It is also done over boiling water where the egg and the milk
    is make to thicken like a custard (with the lime peel) and cool till the morning time
    (with lime peel taken out).

    Then the condensed milk, nutmeg (optional), bitters and essence (vanilla or mixed) and rum
    is added!

    Will be trying punch de creme using this method!

    One more thing - the amount of condensed milk was 4:1 for evaporated!
  • omg hehehe who sang that again lolz!! good tunez! :P
  • Drink a rum and a Punch-a- creama drink a rum!
    That is a good recipe Nikki. I am working on a Bailey's Milkshake. Will let ya know how it turns out :)
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