Why it works: Sugar and cocoa powder are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 14% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,920 recipes. Both carry guaiacol, which smells smoky, sweet. The science ↓
Passover Chocolate Chiffon Cake I
Ingredients
Directions
Mix the batter
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix the cocoa, sugar, and matzoh meal.
Mix in the margarine, then the water, then the egg yolks.
Fold and bake
Whip the egg whites until very stiff peaks form.
Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter, then fold the batter into the remaining egg whites.
Spoon into an ungreased tube pan, and bake until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 4 of 5 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | 1 oz (28g) semisweet | 155 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| 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.
-
Sugar + cocoa powdertop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,920 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Sugar + eggtop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Cocoa powder + eggtop 25% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,222 recipes
Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Matzoh meal
- Supplies the bulk and starch that give the cake its structure.
- Eggs
- Whipped whites trap air that lifts the cake as it bakes.
- Margarine
- Adds fat that keeps the crumb tender and moist.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness and helps keep the crumb soft.
- Cocoa powder
- Provides chocolate flavor and deep brown color.
The step that matters
Folding in the egg whites. Folding gently, in two additions, keeps the air bubbles in the whipped whites that give a chiffon its lift. Stirring hard deflates the foam, and the cake bakes up dense.
“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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