Why it works: Sugar and evaporated milk work together. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 804 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Ensaymada
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Grate mild white or yellow cheese, mix with white sugar, and set aside for topping or filling.
Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and 1 1/2 teaspoonfuls of white sugar.
Mix, then set aside until bubbly.
Make the dough
Mix everything together until well incorporated and smooth.
Transfer dough into a greased bowl, let rise for one hour, then form into a log, flatten out and fill with cheese and butter (optional), or coil into a snail shape in a greased pan.
If making individual cakes, divide the dough into equal pieces, roll into logs, coil or knot, and place in greased muffin tins.
Bake and finish
Let rise for another hour, then brush with butter and bake in a preheated 300 °F oven for 25 minutes or until lightly brown.
Cool completely, slather with butter, dust with sugar and top with grated cheese, 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 |
| 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 + evaporated milktop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together804 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Butter + flourtop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together124,287 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Sugar + flourtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together92,116 recipes
Shared aroma: phenylacetaldehyde (hawthorne, honey).
-
Egg + flourtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together106,462 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Butter + eggtop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together118,967 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
Butter and flour barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 124,287 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
- All-purpose flour
- Forms the gluten network that gives the dough its structure and chew.
- Yeast
- Ferments sugars and produces gas that makes the dough rise.
- Egg yolks
- Add richness, tenderness and a golden color to the dough.
- Butter
- Adds fat for softness, flavor and a tender crumb.
- Evaporated or whole milk
- Adds moisture and softness to the dough.
- White sugar
- Feeds the yeast and adds sweetness and browning.
The step that matters
Dissolving the yeast in lukewarm water. Water that is too hot can kill yeast, and water that is too cold slows it down. Either way the dough may fail to rise properly, so the water should feel lukewarm, not hot.
“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.
You might also like
White Cake431 recipes
Pound Cake373 recipes
Orange Bundt Cake349 recipes
Spice Cake344 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.