Why it works: Milk and cream are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 18% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 29,399 recipes. Both carry delta-dodecalactone, which smells sweet, creamy. The science ↓
Charlotte Russe
Ingredients
Directions
Make the custard
Make a pint of rich custard with three eggs, one pint of milk and vanilla to the taste.
Dissolve nearly a half box of Cox's gelatin in a little warm water.
Pour the gelatin into the custard when nearly cool.
Assemble and finish
While congealing, stir in a quart of whipped cream.
Line a glass bowl with strips of sponge cake.
Pour the mixture over the sponge cake.
Flavor with vanilla or rose.
Grate rose candy over the top.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| 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.
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.
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Milk + creamtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together29,399 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
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Milk + eggtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Cream + eggtop 24% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together42,166 recipes
Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).
Cream and egg barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 42,166 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
- Eggs
- Set the custard and add richness and structure as they thicken with heat.
- Milk
- Forms the liquid base of the custard, giving it body and a soft, creamy texture.
- Gelatin (in the method)
- Sets the cream mixture so it holds its shape when chilled.
- Whipped cream
- Adds air and fat, giving the set dessert a light, airy, creamy texture.
- Sponge cake (in the method)
- Forms the sturdy outer lining that holds the cream filling in the bowl.
The step that matters
Pour the gelatin into the custard when nearly cool. If the custard is still hot, the gelatin can be weakened and the cream may not set properly. If it is too cold, the gelatin may set in lumps before it blends evenly.
“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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