Franklin’s Milk Punch recipe shares characteristics of two types of beverages–possets and syllabubs. Possets combine hot milk with ale, wine, brandy, sugar, and spices. Heat and alcohol curdle the milk. Possets were used as remedies for colds and were consumed from the spout of a posset cup, which let one drink the whey from the bottom and eat the curd later. Syllabubs combine milk with wine and lemon juice (or other acids); the acid from the wine and juice curdle the milk. Served in a glass, the foamy curd of the syllabub is eaten with a spoon and the punch drunk.
Benjamin Franklin’s Milk Punch
Instructions
- Remove peel from all 11 lemons with a vegetable peeler, taking care to remove only the yellow part of the rind.
- Add lemon peel to brandy and steep for 24 hours.
- Juice lemons until you have 2 cups of lemon juice (about 5 or 6 lemons).
- Reserve lemon juice in refrigerator until needed.
- Using a microplane will ensure you get only zest and not the bitter white portion underneath.
- When lemon peels have steeped 24 hours at room temperature, strain brandy and discard lemon peel.
- Add lemon juice, water, sugar and freshly grated nutmeg to brandy and stir well.
- Heat milk in large pot over medium heat, taking care not to burn or scorch it.
- When milk is hot, turn off heat and slowly add in brandy mixture. Curds will form immediately.
- Let mixture sit 5 minutes, then gently stir.
- Let sit another 20 minutes, stir gently, then allow mixture to sit for another 1.5 hours, undisturbed.
- Strain through a nut milk bag and then again through a Coffee Filter.
- This will take a long while and it's well worth it. Be Patient!
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