Why it works: Sugar substitute and sugar share more aroma than cooks usually use. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 79 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Lemon Mayonnaise
Ingredients
Directions
Make the sauce
Combine cornstarch, mustard, and salt in the top of a double boiler.
Combine water and beaten eggs.
Slowly add the mixture to the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, until smooth.
Cook over simmering water for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Very slowly stir in the lemon juice and vinegar.
Continue cooking and stirring over simmering water for 10 more minutes.
Remove from heat.
Add the sweetener; mix well.
Store
Pour into a pint jar, cover, and store in refrigerator.
Stir well before each use.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 8 of 9 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar Substitute | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Mustard | 1 tsp (5g) yellow | 3 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | 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.
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Sugar substitute + sugartop 7% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together79 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Mustard + vinegartop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together14,067 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Mustard + lemontop 11% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,816 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Vinegar + sugartop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,806 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Lemon + sugartop 18% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together53,532 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Lemon and sugar barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 53,532 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
- Thicken the sauce as they cook and add richness and body.
- Cornstarch
- Thickens the liquid into a smooth, stable sauce as it heats.
- Lemon juice
- Provides the sharp, bright acidity that defines the sauce.
The step that matters
Slowly stirring in the lemon juice and vinegar. Adding acid too quickly to the hot egg mixture can cause it to curdle or thin. Adding it slowly while stirring constantly keeps the eggs smooth and lets the starch thicken evenly.
Swap the mustard
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (egg, lemon, vinegar, sugar substitute, sugar):
- Capsicumfits about as well
- Mustardthe original
- Cucumberfits less well
- Asparagusfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against egg, lemon, vinegar, sugar substitute, sugar. 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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