Why it works: Flour and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 14% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 78,219 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
Crispy Corn Dogs
Ingredients
Directions
Make the batter
In a medium bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.
With pastry blender or fork, cut in 2 t shortening until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
In small bowl, combine egg and milk.
Add to dry mixture; mix well.
Coat and fry
Pat frankfurters dry with paper towels.
Dip franks into batter with tongs, being careful to coat all sides. Let excess batter drip off.
Drop 1 or 2 at a time into hot oil in mini-fryer.
Fry until golden, about 1 minute on each side.
Insert wooden skewer in end of each.
Serve
Serve hot, with mustard, if desired.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 6 ingredients. The other 1 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Frankfurter | 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.
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.
-
Flour + milktop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together78,219 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Flour + eggtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together106,462 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Egg + milktop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Flour and milk barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 78,219 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
- Flour
- Forms the main structure of the batter as it sets in hot oil.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas in the batter, helping it puff and stay light when fried.
- Egg
- Binds the batter and helps it set into a firm coating.
- Milk
- Adds moisture and liquid so the dry ingredients form a smooth batter.
- Shortening
- Adds fat that tenderizes the batter and aids browning.
- Yellow cornmeal
- Adds a gritty texture that helps the coating turn crisp.
- Frankfurters
- Serve as the filling that the batter encases and fries.
The step that matters
Fry only 1 or 2 at a time. Adding too many franks at once drops the oil temperature, so the batter absorbs more oil and turns greasy and pale instead of crisp and golden.
“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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