Milk Punch

Filtering twice makes milk punch crystal clear with a smooth texture

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City/Region: Colonial America

Time Period: 1763

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Rye was America’s original homegrown whiskey. With imported liquors like rum and brandy harder to come by during the American Revolution, people turned to making whiskey with Pennsylvania rye, and it continued to be popular after the war. Benjamin Franklin’s recipe uses brandy, but it’s likely that the punch would have been made with rye whiskey later on in the 18th century.

This milk punch takes two days to make, but most of the time is inactive. Even though the curdled milk gets strained out, it leaves behind a silky smooth texture. It’s a little tart, not too sweet, and heavy on the whiskey.

“Milk Punch

Take 6 quarters of Brandy, and the Rinds of 44 Lemons pared very thin; Steep the Rinds in the Brandy 24 hours; then strain it off. Put to it 4 Quarts of Water, 4 large Nutmegs grated, 2 quarts of Lemon Juice, 2 pounds of double refined Sugar. When the Sugar is dissolv’d, boil 3 Quarts of Milk and put to the rest hot as you take if off the Fire, and stir it about. Let it stand two Hours; then run it thro’ a Jelly-bag till it is clear; then bottle it off.–”

— Benjamin Franklin, 1763

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Ingredients:

• Rinds of 5 1/2 lemons without the pith
• 3 cups (710 ml) brandy (or whiskey)
• 2 cups (475 ml) water
• 1/2 nutmeg, grated, about 1 1/2 teaspoons
• 1 cup (235 ml) lemon juice
• 1 heaping 1/2 cup (115 g) sugar
• 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) whole milk

Instructions:

1. Place the lemon rinds in a jar, pour the brandy or whiskey over them and mix well. Cover the jar and let it sit for 24 hours.
2. Strain the rinds from the liquor into a large bowl and discard the rinds. To the liquor, add the water, nutmeg, lemon juice and sugar. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves.
3. Set the milk in a large pot over a low heat and warm until it begins to steam–do not let it come to a full boil. Once steaming, remove it from the stove and ladle in the liquor, stirring gently as you do. Do not pour the milk into the liquor as it will combine too fast and curdle too quickly. Once everything is combined, let it stand for two hours.
4. Prepare a jelly bag or nut milk bag over a pitcher and add the punch to it. Let it slowly strain. For a clearer punch, once it has passed through the jelly bag, pass it through two layers of coffee filter. This will take up to two hours to strain the entire amount. Serve it forth.

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