Egg Punch (Ponche de Huevo)
Source: Anonymous, 1920
History
"Ponche de huevo" appears in La Mejor Cocinera, Recetas de cocina, an anonymously authored Spanish home-cookery manual issued in Madrid by the Editorial Saturnino Calleja; the earliest firmly located editions date to roughly 1921–1923. The book prints the recipe within its "Jarabes y ponches" (syrups and punches) section as a brief household preparation: three egg yolks beaten with very fine sugar, a glass of cognac stirred in, and half a liter of hot milk incorporated while stirring constantly, served as soon as it is well combined. The name situates the drink in a family rather than supplying a backstory: Spanish "ponche" is a loanword from English "punch," itself from Hindi pāñch ("five"), after the original number of a punch's ingredients. Beyond the recipe as printed, the historical record I could open does not document a specific origin, inventor, date of first appearance, or social setting for this particular preparation.
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons fine sugar
- 1 glass cognac
- 0.5 liter hot milk
Instructions
- Beat the egg yolks with the fine sugar until well combined. Add the cognac. While stirring constantly, slowly incorporate the hot milk, continuing to stir until the mixture is thoroughly blended. Serve immediately.