Tom and Jerry

A hot, frothy holiday classic — a spiced, spirited cousin of eggnog. A spoonful of sweetened egg batter is loosened with brandy and dark rum, lengthened with hot milk, and crowned with grated nutmeg, leaving a meringue-light cap over a warm, custardy body. Its origins are contested: Jerry Thomas claimed it and spread it across 19th-century America in his Bar-Tender's Guide, though the drink predates him, with its name owed to Pierce Egan's 1821 London characters. Still a Midwestern winter ritual.

Contains DairyHotClassicCozyContains Egg

Ingredients

  • 1 pieceWhole Egg(separated; white beaten stiff, yolk beaten with sugar)
  • 1 tspSugar(beaten into the yolk to form batter)
  • 1 ozBrandy
  • 1 ozDark Rum
  • 4 ozMilk(heated)

Garnish: Grated Nutmeg

Preparation

built · Mug · None

  1. 1.

    muddle

    Separate the egg. Beat the white to a stiff froth; beat the yolk with the sugar until smooth, then fold together into a light batter (this is the Tom and Jerry batter, traditionally made in volume ahead).

  2. 2.

    build

    Spoon a generous scoop of the batter into a warmed mug.

  3. 3.

    add

    Add the brandy and dark rum and stir gently to loosen the batter.

  4. 4.

    top

    Top with hot milk, stirring lightly to fold the batter through into a frothy, custardy cup.

  5. 5.

    garnish

    Grate fresh nutmeg over the top and serve hot with a spoon.

Flavor Profile

body
43%
creamy
36%
sweet
31%
viscosity
24%
fruity
23%
spiced
20%
Open in App