Why it works: Sugar and egg 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 ↓
Marsh Mallow Cream for Prune Mousse
Ingredients
Directions
Make the syrup
Combine one cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 pound good marshmallow candy.
Boil sugar and water until it threads.
Finish the cream
Remove from fire and put into it while hot the marshmallow candy.
When dissolved, beat to the consistency of cream (only), adding the well beaten white of 1 egg gradually while beating.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
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 + eggtop 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
- Granulated sugar
- Provides sweetness and, when boiled into a syrup, the base that sets the cream's body.
- Marshmallow candy (in the method)
- Adds sweetness and a soft, airy marshmallow flavour and texture to the cream.
- Egg white
- Adds foam and lightness, helping the cream become airy as it is beaten.
The step that matters
Beating in the egg white gradually. Adding the beaten white slowly, while beating, lets it blend evenly into the warm syrup. Dumping it in at once can cause lumps and uneven 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.
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.