Food Recipes Ponche Crema, a Christmas Cocktail From Venezuela, Is About to Be Your Favorite Holiday Drink Be the first to rate & review! It's sweet, spiced, and incredibly creamy. By Maki Yazawa Maki Yazawa Maki Yazawa is a food writer at Well+Good and a former food writer at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 14, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Getty Images Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 10 Jump to recipe From Dutch advocaat to Puerto Rican coquito, almost every country seems to have its own version of eggnog. In Venezuela, this classic holiday drink is known as ponche crema, and it’s made with ingredients like sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, and dark rum. If you’re looking for an alternative to your traditional nog, venture to South America with this rich, luscious, and delicious rendition you'll love sipping (and serving) this year. Ingredients 4 Egg yolks 12 ounces Evaporated milk 1/2 teaspoon Lime zest 1/4 teaspoon Ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg 21 ounces Sweetened condensed milk 3/4 cup Dark rum 5 drops Angostura bitters 2 Cinnamon sticks (optional, for garnish) Directions In a large, heat-proof glass bowl combine the egg yolks, evaporated milk, and lime zest. Whisk until fully incorporated. Place a large pot on the stove and fill with 1 inch water. Place the glass bowl over the pot, making sure that the bottom does not touch the surface of the water to create a double boiler or bain marie. Warm the mixture over medium-low heat until it reaches 160 F, about 10 to 15 minutes. Continuously whisk to ensure the mixture does not curdle or heat too quickly. Reduce the temperature if needed to ensure the eggs do not scramble. Once the mixture has reached 160 F, remove the pot from the heat and transfer it to a heat-proof surface. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, condensed milk, dark rum, and Angostura bitters. Whisk until fully combined. Strain the liquid into an airtight container and add cinnamon sticks to infuse additional flavor. Store in the refrigerator until ready to consume. The drink will keep for about two to three days in the fridge. If serving chilled, whisk or shake before serving over ice. Rate it Print