Ingredients:
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1-2 cups rum, or to taste
Directions
Make a syrup by mixing the sugar and water in a saucepan and simmer for 3 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat the yolks until light yellow. Add the milks (condensed and evaporated), the vanilla, and the rum. Stir in the sugar syrup.
Crema de Vie is a Cuban-style eggnog whose name, literally translated, means “cream of life.” It is a traditional after-dinner drink commonly enjoyed during the holidays and often given, in decorative bottles, as gifts to friends and family members as a sign of good will. The two holidays it is most closely associated with are Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
When I was growing up, my tia (“aunt” in Spanish) used to always have a bottle of Crema de Vie at the family Christmas gatherings. This recipe is slightly different from any recipe you would find online because it has been modified and perfected as it was passed down through the generations of my family. My tia got the recipe from her mother, who got the recipe from her tia. It is a Cuban holiday tradition that I enjoy carrying on with my friends and family.