Why it works: Condensed milk and evaporated milk match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 168 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Custard Pudding
Ingredients
Directions
Make the caramel
Preheat the oven to 150C, 300F, Gas Mark 2.
Make the caramel by placing the sugar in a small saucepan together with the water.
Allow the sugar to dissolve over a low heat then bring to the boil.
Continue to boil rapidly until it turns a medium golden brown colour then remove from the heat immediately.
Pour the caramel into the base of an ovenproof dish, swirling around the bottom and slightly up the sides.
Make the custard and bake
Place the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
Pour the batter into the caramel lined dish, cover with aluminium foil then bake for about 1 ½ hours.
Cool and chill
Allow to cool to room temperature then chill in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 7 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Grape | 1/2 cup (76g) | 62 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Vanilla | 1 tsp extract (4ml) | 12 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
| Pudding | not in our table | 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.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
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.
-
Condensed milk + evaporated milktop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together168 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together35,032 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Sugar + evaporated milktop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together804 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Sugar + condensed milktop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together804 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Vanilla + raisintop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together782 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Sugar and vanilla barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 35,032 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Set the custard into a firm, sliceable pudding as they cook.
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Adds sweetness and a thick, creamy body to the custard.
- Evaporated milk
- Adds richness and moisture, giving the custard a smooth texture.
- Sugar
- Melts into the caramel that coats the dish, adding sweetness and a golden colour.
The step that matters
Caramel to a medium golden brown. Sugar darkens quickly near the end of boiling. Removing it from the heat as soon as it reaches medium golden brown prevents a bitter, burnt flavour, while lighter caramel tastes weak.
Swap the raisin
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (sugar, egg, condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla):
- Coconutfits better
- Bananafits better
- Cherryfits better
- Raisinthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against sugar, egg, condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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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