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
Combine one quart of morning's milk, four yolks, and sweeten to taste; boil until thick, preventing curdling.
Allow the custard to cool, then season heavily.
Prepare the cream and gelatine
Froth three quarts of rich cream and let it drain.
Pour a little cold water over a box of Cox's gelatine and let stand about twenty minutes.
Then pour the gelatin over a tea-cupful of boiling water, and set on the stove until thoroughly melted.
Combine and set
When the milk is warm, stir it into the custard.
As soon as the custard begins to congeal, stir in the whipped cream very quickly, being careful not to beat it.
Stir the custard well from the bottom and sides to prevent it from becoming lumpy.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
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).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Milk
- Forms the body of the custard, giving it a smooth, creamy base.
- Yolks (in the method)
- Thicken the custard as they heat, adding richness and structure.
- Rich cream
- Whipped into foam to lighten the dessert and add creamy texture.
- Gelatine (in the method)
- Sets the custard so it holds its shape when chilled.
The step that matters
Folding in the whipped cream. Once the custard begins to congeal, the whipped cream must be stirred in quickly and gently. Overbeating it can deflate the foam and make the texture grainy or watery.
“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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