Why it works: Sugar and egg are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 21% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 122,807 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Meringue or Egg Kisses
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderate oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Gradually add the sugar, continuing to whip until fully combined.
Shape and bake
Using a paper cone, pipe small pyramids onto a greased and dusted baking pan.
Optionally, sprinkle with coconut or chopped nuts.
Bake in the preheated oven until set.
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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Sugar + eggtop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Egg whites
- Whipped into a foam that traps air, giving the kisses their light, airy structure.
- Sugar
- Stabilizes the foam, adds sweetness, and helps the meringue set and turn crisp when baked.
The step that matters
Gradually add the sugar while whipping. Adding sugar slowly lets it dissolve into the foam, which keeps the whites stable and glossy. Dumping it in too fast can collapse the foam, and undissolved sugar can leave a grainy texture or weeping.
“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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