Why it works: Nutmeg and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 15% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 14,685 recipes. Both carry eucalyptol, which smells eucalyptus, herbal. The science ↓
Egg Nog
Ingredients
Directions
Make the base
Beat the egg yolks with the powdered sugar until creamy.
Stir in the grated nutmeg, brandy, and Madeira wine until well mixed.
Fold and finish
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.
Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the mixture.
Finally, add the whole milk and mix until combined.
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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Nutmeg + milktop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together14,685 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
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Nutmeg + brandytop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together4,311 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
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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 + nutmegtop 17% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together24,744 recipes
Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).
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Brandy + madeira winetop 17% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together120 recipes
Egg and nutmeg barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 24,744 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
- Egg yolks
- Add richness and body, and help emulsify the drink into a smooth, creamy texture.
- Egg whites
- Whipped to stiff peaks, they add airy lightness that keeps the eggnog from feeling heavy.
- Powdered sugar
- Sweetens the drink and dissolves easily into the beaten yolks.
- Brandy
- Adds alcohol flavor and aroma, and helps keep the drink from tasting flat.
- Whole milk
- Provides the main liquid, moisture and creamy body of the drink.
The step that matters
Folding in the egg whites. Beaten whites hold air only if they are not deflated. Folding gently, rather than stirring, keeps the foam intact so the eggnog stays light and fluffy.
Swap the nutmeg
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (egg, sugar, brandy, madeira wine, milk):
- Cinnamonfits better
- Nutmegthe original
- Clovefits less well
- Allspicefits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against egg, sugar, brandy, madeira wine, milk. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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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