Why it works: Brandy and wine are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 9% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,427 recipes. Both carry gamma-nonanolactone, which smells coconut, sweet. The science ↓
Egg-nog
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the base
Separate the yolks and whites of the eggs.
In a bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar until well combined.
Gradually add the brandy and wine to the yolk mixture, stirring slowly.
Add the whites and milk
In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture.
Finally, stir in the milk until well mixed.
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.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
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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Brandy + winetop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,427 recipes
Shared aroma: gamma-nonanolactone (coconut, sweet).
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Brandy + milktop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,738 recipes
Shared aroma: gamma-nonanolactone (coconut, sweet).
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Egg + brandytop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,340 recipes
Shared aroma: acetoin (butter, cream).
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Egg + milktop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Sugar + milktop 18% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together77,875 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Sugar and milk barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 77,875 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Yolks enrich and thicken the base, while whipped whites add lightness and a foamy texture.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the drink and helps stabilize the beaten yolks.
- Brandy or good whiskey
- Adds spirit flavor and aroma to the drink.
- Wine
- Thins the mixture and adds acidity and fruity flavor.
- Milk
- Adds creaminess and moisture, mellowing the alcohol's sharpness.
The step that matters
Fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture. Stiff whites hold air that gives the eggnog its lightness. Folding gently keeps that air in, while vigorous stirring would deflate the foam and leave the drink dense.
“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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