Why it works: Cinnamon and nutmeg match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 11,917 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
Tom and Jerry
Ingredients
Directions
Make the batter
In a bowl, combine white sugar and eggs.
Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and the yolks until thin, then mix the yolks and whites together, then add spices and rum.
Thicken the mixture with sugar until you have a light batter.
Serve
To serve, in a small bar glass, add 1 tablespoon of the batter, pour in ⅓ cup of brandy and fill the glass with boiling water.
Grate a little nutmeg on top before serving.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Cinnamon + nutmegtop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together11,917 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
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Cinnamon + clovetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together14,189 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl cinnamate (sweet, balsamic).
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Clove + allspicetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together7,874 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
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Cinnamon + allspicetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,536 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
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Allspice + nutmegtop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,331 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Whipped whites and yolks give the batter its light, airy structure.
- White sugar
- Sweetens the batter and thickens it into a light, spoonable base.
- Jamaica rum
- Adds alcohol and rum flavour to the batter.
- Ground cinnamon
- Adds warm, sweet spice aroma to the batter.
- Brandy
- Adds spirit strength and warming flavour to each drink.
The step that matters
Beating the egg whites to stiff peaks. Stiff peaks trap air that gives the batter its lightness. Under-beaten whites stay runny and the batter turns dense and flat, while over-beaten whites turn dry and grainy.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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