Crescent City Tom & Jerry

In this riff on the hot eggnog-like classic, Rachael Thompson of Chicago's Violet Hour perks up the traditional rich base of egg batter and cognac with two New Orleans favorites: the anise-y liqueur Herbsaint and a coffee-chicory syrup, a nod to the coffee at Café du Monde.

  • Serves

    serves 8

  • Time

    30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. roasted chicory granules
  • 1 cup demerara sugar
  • 12 cup cold brew or strongly-brewed coffee
  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • 14 cup granulated sugar
  • 8 oz. Cognac
  • 2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Herbsaint
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • Whole star anise and freshly grated nutmeg, to garnish

Instructions

Step 1

In a small saucepan, heat the chicory granules over medium until they are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the demerara sugar and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool. Pour the syrup through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, and stir in the egg yolks until smooth.

Step 2

In a large bowl and using a clean whisk, beat the egg whites until frothy. While whisking, slowly add the granulated sugar the whites and continue beating until the form semi-firm peaks. Scrape the egg whites into the coffee syrup and fold gently until combined.

Step 3

Pour about 1⁄4 cup each of the coffee batter into the bottom of 8 warmed coffee mugs and then top each with 1 oz. Cognac and 1 tsp. Herbsaint. In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium-high until barely simmering and then pour 1⁄2 cup of the hot milk into each mug. Garnish each cocktail with a whole star anise and grate nutmeg over top just before serving.
  1. In a small saucepan, heat the chicory granules over medium until they are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the demerara sugar and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool. Pour the syrup through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, and stir in the egg yolks until smooth.
  2. In a large bowl and using a clean whisk, beat the egg whites until frothy. While whisking, slowly add the granulated sugar the whites and continue beating until the form semi-firm peaks. Scrape the egg whites into the coffee syrup and fold gently until combined.
  3. Pour about 1⁄4 cup each of the coffee batter into the bottom of 8 warmed coffee mugs and then top each with 1 oz. Cognac and 1 tsp. Herbsaint. In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium-high until barely simmering and then pour 1⁄2 cup of the hot milk into each mug. Garnish each cocktail with a whole star anise and grate nutmeg over top just before serving.
Drinks

Crescent City Tom & Jerry

  • Serves

    serves 8

  • Time

    30 minutes

Tom and Jerry Cocktail
MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

By Rachael Thompson


Published on January 22, 2016

In this riff on the hot eggnog-like classic, Rachael Thompson of Chicago's Violet Hour perks up the traditional rich base of egg batter and cognac with two New Orleans favorites: the anise-y liqueur Herbsaint and a coffee-chicory syrup, a nod to the coffee at Café du Monde.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. roasted chicory granules
  • 1 cup demerara sugar
  • 12 cup cold brew or strongly-brewed coffee
  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • 14 cup granulated sugar
  • 8 oz. Cognac
  • 2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Herbsaint
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • Whole star anise and freshly grated nutmeg, to garnish

Instructions

Step 1

In a small saucepan, heat the chicory granules over medium until they are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the demerara sugar and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool. Pour the syrup through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, and stir in the egg yolks until smooth.

Step 2

In a large bowl and using a clean whisk, beat the egg whites until frothy. While whisking, slowly add the granulated sugar the whites and continue beating until the form semi-firm peaks. Scrape the egg whites into the coffee syrup and fold gently until combined.

Step 3

Pour about 1⁄4 cup each of the coffee batter into the bottom of 8 warmed coffee mugs and then top each with 1 oz. Cognac and 1 tsp. Herbsaint. In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium-high until barely simmering and then pour 1⁄2 cup of the hot milk into each mug. Garnish each cocktail with a whole star anise and grate nutmeg over top just before serving.
  1. In a small saucepan, heat the chicory granules over medium until they are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the demerara sugar and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool. Pour the syrup through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, and stir in the egg yolks until smooth.
  2. In a large bowl and using a clean whisk, beat the egg whites until frothy. While whisking, slowly add the granulated sugar the whites and continue beating until the form semi-firm peaks. Scrape the egg whites into the coffee syrup and fold gently until combined.
  3. Pour about 1⁄4 cup each of the coffee batter into the bottom of 8 warmed coffee mugs and then top each with 1 oz. Cognac and 1 tsp. Herbsaint. In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium-high until barely simmering and then pour 1⁄2 cup of the hot milk into each mug. Garnish each cocktail with a whole star anise and grate nutmeg over top just before serving.

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