Why it works: Almond and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 16% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,800 recipes. Both carry 2,4-decadienal, which smells seaweed. The science ↓
Iced Pudding
Ingredients
Directions
Make the custard
Blanch and dry the almonds thoroughly in a cloth, then pound them in a mortar until reduced to a smooth paste.
Add the paste to the well-beaten eggs, then add the sugar and milk; stir these ingredients over the fire until they thicken, but do not allow them to boil.
Strain the mixture and put it into a freezing can; surround it with ice and freeze it.
Freeze and serve
When quite frozen, fill an iced pudding mold, put on the lid and keep the pudding in ice until required for the table.
Turn it out onto a dish and garnish it with a compote of any fruit that may be preferred, pouring a little over the top of the pudding.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Almond | 1 almond (1.2g) | 7 |
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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Almond + milktop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,800 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
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Almond + sugartop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,679 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-penten-3-one (fish, pungent).
-
Milk + eggtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Milk + sugartop 18% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together77,875 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Sugar + eggtop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Milk and sugar barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 77,875 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
- Their proteins thicken the custard as they set over gentle heat, giving the pudding body.
- Bitter almonds
- Provide the main flavour, a distinct nutty aroma carried through the custard.
- Milk
- Forms the liquid base of the custard, adding creaminess and moisture to the frozen pudding.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the custard and, by lowering the freezing point, keeps the frozen pudding softer.
The step that matters
Thickening the custard without boiling. Egg proteins set gently between about 70 and 85°C; if the mixture boils, the eggs scramble and turn grainy, ruining the smooth texture needed for freezing.
Swap the almond
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (milk, sugar, egg):
- Pecansfits about as well
- Almondthe original
- Cocoafits about as well
- Walnutfits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against milk, sugar, egg. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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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