Beat The Cold With This Simple Tom And Jerry Recipe

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jan 3, 2014 4:40PM

Photo credit: Chuck Sudo/Chicagoist

The mercury hasn't crossed the 10 degree mark here in Chicago this morning and the extended forecast has us in store for Hoth-like conditions through Tuesday. But you don't need to slice open your tauntaun and nestle inside its innards for warmth or to wait out the bitter cold for better weather.

The Tom and Jerry cocktail is a classic winter warmer whose joys and benefits extend past the holidays and the rich batter can keep in the freezer. This recipe, courtesy of myownlabels.com, is simple to make and easier to mix with your favorite spirit. You can use rum, brandy/cognac or whiskey. We recommend spiced whiskey, if you have any on hand.

This recipe has been adjusted to make a smaller batch of batter.

Tom and Jerry Batter

1 cup dark brown sugar, tightly packed
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir with a spoon or a mixer until smooth. Store in the freezer, where it will remain soft.

To serve: place a heaping teaspoon of the batter into a mug. (For a mug the size of the one in the photo above, use two heaping teaspoons.) Add boiling water and stir until batter is mixed. Add 3-4 ounces of your favorite liquor. Sprinkle ground nutmeg on top.