Why it works: Almond and cinnamon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,514 recipes. Both carry eucalyptol, which smells eucalyptus, herbal. The science ↓
Milk Pie
Ingredients
Directions
Make the custard
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, sugar, and salt.
Put milk into a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, and whisk in egg and cornstarch mix.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for 10–17 minutes. Do not boil. Reduce heat to low if necessary to prevent burning.
After finished cooking, remove from heat and whisk in extracts.
Set and serve
Cool to lukewarm and pour into baked pie crust.
Refrigerate pie until set, approximately 3–4 hours.
Before you serve the milk pie, sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top of it.
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 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Vanilla | 1 tsp extract (4ml) | 12 |
| Almond | 1 almond (1.2g) | 7 |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp ground (2.6g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Pie | 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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Almond + cinnamontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,514 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Vanilla + cinnamontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,287 recipes
Shared aroma: 4-methoxybenzaldehyde (sweet, anise).
-
Almond + vanillatop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,961 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Milk + vanillatop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together19,187 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl caproate (fruity, apple peel).
-
Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked 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
- Cornstarch
- Thickens the milk into a smooth, sliceable custard as it heats.
- Egg
- Adds protein that helps set the custard and enriches its texture.
- Whole milk
- Forms the body of the custard and supplies its creamy richness.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the custard and helps give it a smooth texture.
The step that matters
Keep the custard below a boil while thickening. Starch needs to be heated while whisked to swell and thicken evenly. Boiling or scorching on the base can cause lumps, a grainy texture, or burnt flavor, and the egg can curdle if overheated.
“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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