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Dessert

Chess Pie

A sweet pie with a custard-like filling made from sugar, eggs, butter, vinegar, and vanilla.

From the Wikibooks Cookbook · 6 ingredients
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Why it works: Sugar and vanilla are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 35,032 recipes. Both carry beta-damascenone, which smells apple, rose. The science ↓

Chess Pie

Serves 8
Oven375°F (190°C)
Time35 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Make the filling

  1. Mix sugar, butter, and vinegar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.

  2. Beat eggs in a bowl.

  3. Gradually whisk the saucepan contents into the eggs, then add vanilla.

Bake

  1. Pour mixture into a pre-made pie crust.

  2. Bake pie in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 35 minutes.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

244Calories
6 gProtein
17 gFat
14 gCarbs

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
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Butter1 tbsp (14g)102
Egg1 large egg (50g)78
Sugar1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated49
Vanilla1 tsp extract (4ml)12
Vinegar1 tbsp (15ml) distilled3
Pie Crustnot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Wikibooks Cookbook.

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.

  1. Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairs
    Smell alikelow
    Cooked together35,032 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).

  2. Vanilla + buttertop 14% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together20,050 recipes

    Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

  3. Sugar + vinegartop 15% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together20,806 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).

  4. Egg + buttertop 17% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together118,967 recipes

    Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).

  5. Sugar + buttertop 17% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together98,233 recipes

    Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

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

White sugar
Provides sweetness and helps give the filling its firm, sweet set.
Eggs
Set the filling into a custard-like structure as they cook.
Butter
Adds fat for richness and a smooth, tender texture.
Vinegar
Adds a little acidity that balances the sweetness of the sugar.

The step that matters

Gradually whisk the saucepan contents into the eggs. Adding hot sugar mixture too quickly can scramble the eggs. Pouring slowly while whisking gently raises the eggs' temperature so they blend smoothly into the filling.

“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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