Why it works: Biscuit and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 17% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,332 recipes. Both carry nonanal, which smells fat, citrus. The science ↓
Jelly Puddings
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a quick oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Make the batter
Scald the milk and pour it over the crumbs.
Beat the mixture until half cold, then stir in the beaten egg yolks, followed by the egg whites.
Dissolve the baking soda in boiling water and add it to the mixture.
Bake and fill
Fill large cups half full with the batter and bake in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 30 minutes.
Once done, turn out the puddings quickly and make an incision in the side of each.
Pull the incision partly open and fill with a spoonful of jelly.
Pinch the edges to close and serve warm with sweetened cream.
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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Biscuit + milktop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,332 recipes
Shared aroma: nonanal (fat, citrus).
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Milk + eggtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Biscuit + eggtop 27% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,643 recipes
Shared aroma: nonanal (fat, citrus).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Biscuit or bread crumbs
- Provide the bulk and soak up the hot milk to form a soft, tender base.
- Milk
- Softens the crumbs and adds moisture so the batter bakes up tender.
- Eggs
- Bind the batter and set during baking to give the pudding its structure.
- Baking soda
- Reacts with the batter's acidity to release gas, helping the puddings rise and lighten.
- Jelly, jam, or marmalade
- Adds sweetness and fruity flavour in the filling, contrasting with the mild batter.
The step that matters
Turn out the puddings quickly after baking. Baked puddings firm as they cool and can stick to the cups or tear. Turning them out promptly, while still hot and tender, keeps them intact for the jelly filling.
“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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