Name: Strawberry Bavarian Rice Mold
Ingredients: 1 16-ounce bag frozen strawberries, thawed and divided; 1/2 cup sugar, divided; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1 tablespoon water; 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin; 1 1/2 cups skim milk; 2 cups cooked brown rice; 2 cups frozen light whipped topping, thawed; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; vegetable cooking spray; 2 eggs, beaten; 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, divided

Why it works: Cottage cheese and parmesan cheese match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 213 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓

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.

Cottage cheese + parmesan cheesetop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together213 recipes

Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
Milk + vanillatop 5% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together19,187 recipes

Shared aroma: ethyl caproate (fruity, apple peel).
Milk + ricetop 7% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together7,374 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Sugar + gelatintop 7% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together2,778 recipes

Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together35,032 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

Unflavored gelatin: Sets the mixture so it holds its molded shape when chilled.
Cornstarch: Thickens the strawberry puree into a pourable sauce.
Frozen strawberries: Provide the fruit flavor and color for both the mold and the sauce.
Cooked brown rice: Adds bulk and body to the mold.
Whipped topping: Adds air and a light, creamy texture when folded in.
Skim milk: Serves as the liquid that dissolves and carries the gelatin.

The step that matters

Chilling to the consistency of unbeaten egg whites. Gelatin begins to set as it cools. Chilling only until the mixture is partly set lets it hold the whipped topping and strawberries evenly without deflating. If it is too liquid, the fruit sinks, and if it is too firm, it will not fold smoothly.

“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.

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Flour	1 cup (125g) all-purpose	455
Rice	1 cup cooked (158g) white	206
Milk	1 cup (244ml) whole	149
Vegetable	1 tbsp (14g)	120
Cheddar Cheese	1 oz (28g)	113
Parmesan Cheese	1 oz (28g)	110
Cottage Cheese	1/2 cup (113g) 2%	98
Egg	1 large egg (50g)	78
Strawberry	1 cup (152g)	49
Sugar	1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated	49
Gelatin	1 envelope (7g)	23
Vanilla	1 tsp extract (4ml)	12
Water	not in our table	0
Topping	not in our table	0

Strawberry Bavarian Rice Mold