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Name: Rompope (Mexican Eggnog)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 cups
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cup whole milk; 2-3 Mexican cinnamon sticks (Ceylon cinnamon); 3 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract (Nielsen-Massey is my preferred brand); 7 extra large or jumbo egg yolks; 1/2 pound of granulated cane sugar (I use Zulka brand); 1 cup aguardiente (cane sugar liquor); 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; Optional: ground Ceylon cinnamon to sprinkle on top to garnish

8 December 31, 2016 Christmas

How to make rompope

Rompope is a Mexican version of eggnog. This popular drink is a staple in many Mexican households and festivities from December all the way until Día de Reyes.

Several years ago, I was able to copy down abuelita’s recipe for rompope (which was for a very large crowd, based on the portions) from a typewriter-written version in a family recipe book at my mother-in-law’s house. Thinking it was going to be difficult, I didn’t make it until a few years later. It was then that I discovered the recipe wasn’t quite complete, the directions were sparse and it didn’t taste right on the first try. So I got to work in my kitchen, testing and tasting until it seemed right to us.

RELATED RECIPE: Ponche navideño

I’ve amended abuelita’s recipe slightly to my personal taste but so it still maintains its authenticity, and reduced the quantity of the original recipe to make a smaller batch in case we didn’t go through it quickly enough. I recommend if you’ll be drinking your rompope solo, half-cup servings are best, and this recipe makes eight half-cup servings. If you’ll be serving a small crowd, make double the recipe and just refrigerate any leftover rompope.

One year, José’s Tía Annette hosted a fabulously catered posada, which is where I learned to put rompope in my coffee or make lattes with it. I’ve done it every December since!

RELATED RECIPE: Spicy Mexican hot chocolate

A few notes:

If you don’t have time to make everything all at once, you can make the cinnamon-infused milk and refrigerate it overnight, and finish the rest of the recipe the next day with no problem.
The directions below have descriptions of how the egg yolks should look at ribbon stage, but if you need extra guidance, this video is pretty helpful. It’s easiest to do with a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid than it is with a whisk by hand. Don’t suffer! Just use the stand mixer.
You can find aguardiente in most Latin supermarkets across the U.S. If you don’t see it on a shelf in the store, they sometimes keep it locked in a cabinet with the pricier liquors, so just ask. It’s anise-flavored liqueur that is produced from sugar cane, and much of what is available in the U.S. comes from Colombia.
I advise against using imitation Mexican vanilla extract because it really doesn’t have the same taste. I only buy Nielsen-Massey Mexican pure vanilla extract, which is available online from King Arthur Flour, Amazon, and sold in many high-end culinary stores such as Williams-Sonoma or WholeFoods. (For the record, Williams-Sonoma has the best price on a 4-ounce bottle.) If you live in Los Angeles, I have also purchased this extract at Surfas Culinary District in Culver City and Gelson’s.

Rompope (Mexican Eggnog)

Prep 15 mins

Cook 15 mins

Total 30 mins

Author Maura Wall Hernandez

Yield 4 cups

Mexican eggnog, called rompope, is a popular drink during the holidays.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup whole milk
2-3 Mexican cinnamon sticks (Ceylon cinnamon)
3 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract (Nielsen-Massey is my preferred brand)
7 extra large or jumbo egg yolks
1/2 pound of granulated cane sugar (I use Zulka brand)
1 cup aguardiente (cane sugar liquor)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Optional: ground Ceylon cinnamon to sprinkle on top to garnish

Instructions

In a small saucepan, heat 1 1/4 cups whole milk and Mexican cinnamon sticks over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan or getting a skin. Bring it to a boil and then remove from the heat. Set aside and allow to come to room temperature.
In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add egg yolks to the mixer bowl and bring whisk to medium speed. Start adding the sugar gradually, until you reach ribbon stage. The egg yolks should turn light yellow and look creamy and fluffy.
Turn the whisk speed to low and slowly add the room temperature milk and 3 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract. Slowly add 1 cup aguardiente (sugar cane liquor) until fully incorporated.
While the whisk is still on low speed, add 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg and continue whisking for 1 minute.
Pour contents of the bowl into an airtight glass bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Notes

The rompope tastes better on the second day, as the alcohol settles with the other ingredients. If it doesn’t taste boozy enough to you at first, wait to add any more alcohol until at least the day after.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1/2 cup

Amount Per Serving
% Daily Value

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

RELATED RECIPE: Champurrado

8 November 4, 2015 Most Popular

Mexican chicken soup with hominy and barley

Nothing soothes the soul like chicken soup, no matter what country or culture you identify with. My version of Mexican chicken soup includes hominy and barley for a unique spin on this typical dish.

This post is sponsored by Teasdale Foods. All opinions and the recipe here are my own.

RELATED RECIPE: Slow-cooker pozole rojo

My suegro loves the sopa de pollo from this place in Mexico City called el Ricón de la Lechuza, which has been around since 1971. What makes La Lechuza’s chicken soup different than most others is that in addition to the traditional homemade broth, carrots and celery, barley (called “cebada” in Spanish) lends a unique texture and adds to the nutritional profile of the dish.

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73 October 1, 2015 Most Popular

Slow-cooker pozole rojo

Pozole rojo is a hearty classic Mexican soup or stew, traditionally made with pork broth, pork, hominy, and spices, then topped with garnishes such as lime juice, radishes, onion, lettuce and more. It’s a popular traditional dish served throughout the country that is representative of Mexican cuisine.

This post is part of a compensated campaign with Teasdale Foods. All opinions and the recipe here are my own.

I admit that pozole can be an intimidating dish to make at home, mostly because making the perfect pork broth can be tough to match when you’re up against the memory of a beloved family member’s recipe. But I’ve found an awesome semi-homemade cheat for pozole that’s simple to prepare and easy to love!

I’ve used Teasdale’s new Easy Prep Spicy Red Pozole in this recipe, which is basically just cheating at the broth and hominy preparation—the two factors that often scare people away from making this traditional dish at home if they don’t have a trusted family recipe.

What’s great about it also is that you can choose what kind of meat you want to add; I’ve chosen boneless country pork ribs because they’re easy to find, usually have a mix of dark and light meat, and they cook to tender perfection in a slow-cooker. Nothing beats low and slow, especially when there’s minimal effort involved.

The majority of the prep time for this recipe is for slicing and dicing your garnishes. I’ve also doctored the pozole to my personal taste by cooking the pork with bay leaves and Mexican oregano, and adding more chiles to the broth. The slow-cooker also means that most of the cooking is hands-off so you can be doing something else!

RELATED RECIPE: Slow-cooker carnitas

Pozole is a prehispanic dish that has been enjoyed in Mexico for many generations dating at least all the way back to the times of Moctezuma in the latter part of the 1400s, and the preparation still used and served today goes back to the 18th Century, according to culinary historians.

The three main types of pozole you’ll find all throughout Mexico are pozole blanco, pozole verde and pozole rojo. In Mexico City, where our family is from, you can find many varieties of the three typical colors of pozole served all over the city, including more than a dozen regional varieties from all over the country. And, they can have pork, chicken, shrimp, or be vegetarian-friendly, too. You can find pozole served everywhere from dedicated pozolerías to markets, fondas and even some high-end restaurants that serve traditional Mexican cuisine.

Traditional garnishes with pozole include:
sliced radishes, diced white onion, shredded iceberg lettuce or cabbage, chopped cilantro, fresh limes, dried Mexican oregano and chile powder, such as ground chile piquin.

In Mexico City, it’s very common to serve pozole with tostadas with crema mexicana spread on top, which is to be eaten alternating with a spoonful of pozole, then a bite of tostada.

Whether you love red, green or white #pozole, this traditional #Mexican dish is always fun to eat! Pozole is a hearty soup or stew, traditionally made with pork broth, pork, #hominy, and spices, then topped with garnishes such as lime juice, radishes, onion, lettuce and more. But there are also lots of regional variations of this prehispanic dish, which is popular all over #Mexico and is a staple of the cuisine. Check out my version using a #slowcooker and an awesome cheat that’s simple to prepare and easy to love! (Don’t forget the tostadas and crema on the side!) 😉 🐷🍲🇲🇽 #Recipe on theothersideofthetortilla.com! #teasdalefoods #ad #mexicanfood #comidamexicana #cdmx #chilango #pozolerojo #instavideo #instafood #instagood #instamex #stopmotion #food #hungry #soup #mydayinLA #fall #crockpot #crockpotcooking #pozoleando #pozolefordays #sopa #sopita

A video posted by Maura Hernandez (@maurahernandez) on Oct 1, 2015 at 9:20pm PDT

This recipe is most similar to Jalisco-style red pozole, and I’ve added a few extra ancho chiles to the broth for a deeper chile flavor. I like my red pozole fairly spicy, but you can leave them out if you’re not accustomed to spicy pozole. But if you do want to incorporate more heat, you can also puree the extra chiles with a little broth once hydrated, then strain them into the soup, or just add a sprinkle of ground chile piquin when serving.

Take care not to overcook the hominy, as it can become mushy. (When in doubt, you can always remove the hominy a little early and put it on the side while your broth is still cooking in the slow-cooker. You’ll know the hominy is done when it looked bloomed or fluffy.) Pozole reheats well and can also be frozen. If the broth is thicker than you’d like, you can also thin it out with a bit of chicken broth.

Do you like pozole rojo or pozole blanco better? Let me know why in the comments!

RELATED RECIPE: Frijol con puerco

Pozole rojo is a hearty classic Mexican soup or stew, traditionally made with pork broth, pork, hominy, and spices, then topped with garnishes such as lime juice, radishes, onion, lettuce and more. It's a popular traditional dish served throughout the country that is representative of Mexican cuisine. Here's how to make pozole rojo in your slow-cooker with a semi-homemade cheat via theothersideofthetortilla.com.

Slow-cooker pozole rojo

Prep 30 mins

Cook 4 hours, 30 mins

Total 4 hours, 60 mins

Author Maura Wall Hernandez

Yield 6-8 servings

Pozole rojo is a classic Mexican soup or stew, traditionally made with pork broth, pork, hominy, and spices, then topped with garnishes such as lime juice, radishes, onion, lettuce and more. It's a popular traditional dish served throughout the country that is representative of Mexican cuisine.