Why it works: Egg and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 21% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 122,807 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Seven Minute Icing
Serves 6Ingredients
Directions
Cook the icing
Put the egg white, sugar, and water in the top of a double boiler.
Place over boiling water and beat with a rotary egg beater for seven minutes.
Then add baking powder and flavoring.
Remove from heat and beat until thick.
Finish
Spread in swirls over cake.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 3 of 4 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| 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.
-
Egg + sugartop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Egg white
- Its proteins trap air and set as the heated foam, giving the icing its light, fluffy structure.
- Granulated sugar
- Sweetens the icing and helps the foam hold its shape and gain a glossy finish.
The step that matters
Beat over boiling water for seven minutes. Heat from the steam partly cooks the egg white as you beat it, which stabilizes the foam. Beating for the full time builds volume and a thick, spreadable texture.
“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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