Begin by carefully cracking each egg, separating the yolk from the white. To do this, gently tap the egg on a flat surface, crack it open, and transfer the yolk back and forth between the shell halves, letting the white drip into a separate bowl. Place the yolks in a stainless steel mixing bowl, discarding the whites or saving them for another use.

Next, take the vanilla bean and slice it lengthwise with a sharp knife. Use the back of the knife to scrape out the tiny seeds inside, and add both the seeds and the scraped-out bean pod to the mixing bowl.

Fill a small saucepan with water and bring it to a gentle simmer on the stove. Ensure you have a large bowl with ice water ready for cooling the Advocaat mixture later.

Add the sugar and a pinch of salt to the bowl with the egg yolks and vanilla. Whisk these ingredients together until they are well combined and slightly thickened.

Place a folded kitchen towel around the rim of the saucepan with simmering water. This helps stabilize the mixing bowl and raises it slightly, ensuring it doesn’t touch the water. Set the bowl on top of the towel-covered saucepan, creating a double boiler. Slowly whisk in the brandewijn (or your choice of alcohol) while constantly stirring to prevent curdling. Continue to whisk until the mixture reaches 62ºC (144ºF).

Once the mixture reaches the desired temperature, transfer the bowl into the ice water bath. Keep whisking gently to cool down the Advocaat quickly and stop the cooking process. This will help achieve a smooth, custard-like texture.

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any bits of cooked egg yolk and the vanilla pod. Transfer the strained Advocaat into a clean, airtight bottle or jar, and refrigerate until fully chilled. The liqueur will thicken as it cools.

Pour the chilled Advocaat into a small glass, top with a dollop of whipped cream, and enjoy! Advocaat can be kept in the fridge for up to a week, making it perfect for multiple servings over a few days.