A thick egg-yolk liqueur eaten with a spoon under whipped cream. Dutch settlers in the Caribbean made an avocado drink; back home egg yolks replaced the fruit and the name advocaat stayed with it.
It is a lightly cooked egg-yolk custard held stable by alcohol, so the spirit proportion is a food-safety parameter rather than a flavour one — and commercial advocaat is made to a legally defined minimum egg content.
What goes into it
- egg yolks
- sugar
- brandy or neutral spirit
- vanilla
- sometimes cream
How it is made
Yolks and sugar are beaten and heated gently with the spirit until the mixture thickens into a custard — but never so hot that the yolks scramble, which is the whole difficulty. It is then bottled. The thick spoonable version carries more yolk; the pourable export version carries more spirit and cream.
How long it takes: made in an afternoon; refrigerated and drunk within weeks
How it is eaten
Spooned from a small glass under whipped cream, or poured over ice cream.
History
Dutch settlers in the Caribbean made an avocado drink; back home egg yolks replaced the fruit, keeping the name advocaat.
Frequently asked questions
What is Advocaat?
Advocaat is a wine & spirit from Netherlands: thick egg-yolk liqueur eaten with a spoon under whipped cream. Dutch settlers in the Caribbean made an avocado drink; back home egg yolks replaced the fruit, keeping the name advocaat.
How is Advocaat made?
Yolks and sugar are beaten and heated gently with the spirit until the mixture thickens into a custard — but never so hot that the yolks scramble, which is the whole difficulty. It is then bottled. The thick spoonable version carries more yolk; the pourable export version carries more spirit and cream. It takes made in an afternoon; refrigerated and drunk within weeks.
Can I make Advocaat at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. It is a lightly cooked egg-yolk custard held stable by alcohol, so the spirit proportion is a food-safety parameter rather than a flavour one — and commercial advocaat is made to a legally defined minimum egg content.
What goes into Advocaat?
Egg yolks, sugar, brandy or neutral spirit, vanilla, sometimes cream.
How is Advocaat eaten?
Spooned from a small glass under whipped cream, or poured over ice cream.
