Tom and Jerry Cocktail

Before you start

The Tom and Jerry is a hot holiday drink built on a light, sweet batter of beaten egg yolks and whipped whites, spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon. A spoonful of batter goes into a mug with brandy and rum, and hot milk or water poured over it puffs everything into a frothy, eggnog-like drink. In parts of the American Midwest it remains a seasonal fixture, often served in dedicated mugs.

The batter is the whole technique. Yolks beaten with sugar until thick and pale give richness; stiffly whipped whites give the lift; folding them together gently keeps the air. Because the hot milk will not cook the eggs to a safe temperature, use pasteurized eggs. The batter loses volume as it sits, so make it close to serving time.

Ingredients

• Batter6 large pasteurized eggs — separated
• 150 g (¾ cup) superfine or granulated sugar
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• 15 ml (½ oz) aged rum
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar — helps stabilize pasteurized whites
• Per drink3 heaping tbsp (about 45 g) batter
• 30 ml (1 oz) brandy or cognac
• 30 ml (1 oz) aged rum
• 90 ml (3 oz) hot whole milk — or hot water for a lighter drink
• 1 pinch grated nutmeg — for garnish

Method

1. Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a clean, grease-free bowl. Any yolk in the whites will stop them from whipping.
2. Beat the yolks with half the sugar, the spices, rum and vanilla on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until thick, pale and the mixture falls in a ribbon that holds briefly on the surface.
3. With clean beaters, whip the whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and whip to stiff, glossy peaks, 4 to 6 minutes. Pasteurized whites take longer than raw ones.
4. Stir a quarter of the whites into the yolks to lighten them, then gently fold in the rest with a spatula until no streaks remain. Stop once it is uniform; overmixing knocks out air.
5. Heat the milk in the saucepan until steaming, about 75°C (167°F), without boiling. Warm the mugs with hot water and empty them.
6. Spoon 3 heaping tablespoons of batter into each mug. Add the brandy and rum and stir to loosen the batter into a smooth paste.
7. Slowly pour in the hot milk while stirring, so the batter rises into a thick foam. Dust with nutmeg and serve at once.

Tips for success

• Whisking the spirits into the batter before the milk prevents lumps and keeps the drink silky.
• Keep the batter cold in the fridge between rounds, and give it a gentle fold before each use.
• Superfine sugar dissolves faster in the yolks and whites. Pulse granulated sugar in a blender for 10 seconds to make your own.

Substitutions

Brandy and rum

Use 60 ml of either alone; all brandy is drier and fruitier, all rum sweeter. Bourbon is a popular modern swap.

Hot milk

Hot water gives the traditional lighter drink and lets the spirits come through. Half milk and half water is a good compromise.

Pasteurized shell eggs

Pasteurized liquid egg yolks and carton egg whites can be used, though carton whites whip less firmly; give them time and the cream of tartar.

Variations

Alcohol-free Tom and Jerry

Leave out the spirits and use all hot milk with an extra pinch of nutmeg; it tastes like warm, airy eggnog.

Coffee Tom and Jerry

Replace half the hot milk with hot brewed coffee.

Troubleshooting

The whites will not whip

There was fat in the bowl or a trace of yolk, or the whites are pasteurized and need more time. Use a spotless metal or glass bowl and keep whipping with cream of tartar.

The batter is runny and flat

It was overmixed when folding, or it sat too long. Fold gently and make it within an hour or two of serving.

Lumps of batter float in the mug

The milk went in too fast. Stir the spirits into the batter first, then add the milk in a slow stream.

Storage

Keep the batter covered in the refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) or below and use it the same day; it deflates and weeps as it sits. Discard any batter left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Do not store mixed drinks.

Safety notes

The batter contains raw egg, so use pasteurized shell eggs or pasteurized egg products. Each drink has 60 ml of 40% ABV spirits, about 1.4 U.S. standard drinks (14 g of alcohol each). Serve only to adults of legal drinking age, and never drink and drive.