New York Egg Cream

Before you start

The egg cream contains neither egg nor cream. It is chocolate syrup, cold whole milk and a strong pour of seltzer, stirred fast so the milk proteins trap bubbles into a white foam head. Where the name comes from is disputed, and several stories exist; none is settled. What is not in doubt is the technique, which is the difference between a foamy, light drink and flat chocolate milk.

The order is syrup, then milk, then seltzer. The seltzer goes in last, hard and fast, and you stir only the bottom of the glass so the chocolate dissolves while the foam rises. Everything should be very cold, and the seltzer should be freshly opened or from a siphon. Drink it at once; the foam fades within minutes.

Ingredients

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) chocolate syrup — a thin, classic-style syrup mixes best
• 60 ml (2 oz) whole milk — very cold
• 180 ml (6 oz) seltzer — freshly opened and very cold, or from a siphon

Method

1. Chill the glass in the freezer for 10 minutes. Make sure the milk and seltzer are straight from the refrigerator.
2. Pour the chocolate syrup into the bottom of the glass, then add the cold milk on top. Do not stir yet.
3. Tilt the glass slightly and pour in the seltzer quickly from a height, aiming at the back of a spoon held in the glass. A white foam should rise to the rim.
4. Push the spoon to the bottom and stir rapidly in small circles, keeping the motion low so the syrup dissolves without knocking down the foam. Stop as soon as the color is even, about 10 seconds.
5. Serve immediately, while the white head sits on top of the chocolate.

Tips for success

• Strong carbonation makes the foam. A siphon or a bottle opened seconds before gives a much taller head than one opened earlier.
• Whole milk gives the best foam. Lower-fat milk foams but collapses faster and tastes thinner.
• Do not add ice. It knocks the foam down and dilutes the drink; cold ingredients and a chilled glass do the job.

Substitutions

Chocolate syrup

Vanilla syrup makes a vanilla egg cream. Thick fudge sauce does not dissolve well in cold liquid and is best avoided.

Whole milk

Barista-style oat milk foams well and gives a dairy-free version. Almond milk foams poorly and tastes thin.

Seltzer

Club soda has added minerals and tastes slightly salty, which some people enjoy. Avoid flavored sparkling water.

Variations

Vanilla egg cream

Swap the chocolate for 30 ml vanilla syrup. The foam is the same; the drink is pale and lightly sweet.

Coffee egg cream

Use 30 ml coffee syrup made from strong coffee and sugar in equal parts, cooled.

Troubleshooting

There is no foam

The seltzer was flat or warm, or poured too gently. Use freshly opened, cold seltzer and pour it fast.

Syrup is stuck at the bottom

The stir did not reach the base. Push the spoon all the way down and stir there, not through the foam.

It tastes like weak chocolate milk

Too little syrup or too much seltzer. Keep the 30 ml syrup and 60 ml milk, and stop the seltzer when the foam reaches the rim.

Storage

Serve immediately; the foam and fizz are gone within a few minutes. Because it contains milk, do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.