Why it works: Milk and vanilla are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 19,187 recipes. Both carry ethyl caproate, which smells fruity, apple peel. The science ↓
Low-calorie and Low-fat Cheesecake
Ingredients
Directions
Make the crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt butter in an 8" round baking pan. Be careful to make sure the butter does not burn.
Remove from heat and stir in graham cracker crumbs until evenly distributed.
Press evenly and firmly throughout the baking pan.
Bake crust for 10 minutes, then remove and set aside.
Make the filling
Reduce heat to 325 degrees F.
With an electric mixer, mix cream cheese, Splenda, vanilla extract and egg whites until thoroughly mixed.
Add cake flour, salt and milk, then mix thoroughly.
Bake and chill
Pour the batter into the cooled crust and bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees F.
Let cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
Place in refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 9 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Cream Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 99 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Honey | 1 tbsp (21g) | 64 |
| Sugar Substitute | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Vanilla | 1 tsp extract (4ml) | 12 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
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.
-
Milk + vanillatop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together19,187 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl caproate (fruity, apple peel).
-
Butter + milktop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together81,283 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
-
Butter + cream cheesetop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,747 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).
-
Honey + vanillatop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,262 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Honey + milktop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,336 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Graham crackers
- Form the crust, binding with melted butter and holding the filling.
- Butter
- Binds the graham cracker crumbs and adds richness to the crust.
- Cream cheese
- Provides the body and creamy structure of the filling.
- Egg whites
- Set during baking to give the filling structure.
- Cake flour
- Adds starch that helps stabilize the filling and keep it from weeping.
- Nonfat milk
- Adds moisture and softness to the filling.
The step that matters
Keep the butter from burning. Browned or burnt butter turns bitter and can scorch the graham cracker crumbs, so melt it gently and remove it from heat before stirring in the crumbs.
“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.
You might also like
Vanilla Ice Cream108 recipes
Cheese Balls97 recipes
Cheese Cake55 recipes
Cream Cheese46 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.