Why it works: Almond and butter are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,245 recipes. Both carry 2,3-pentanedione, which smells butter, sweet. The science ↓
Almond Pudding
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the filling
Mix together 6 well beaten eggs, 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon rosewater, 3 tablespoons powdered cracker, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 4 ounces finely shredded citron, and 3 pounds sweet almonds, blanched and chopped finely.
Bake and rest
Line a pudding dish with rich pie paste, pour the mixture in, and bake until done.
Let stand several hours before serving.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Cracker | 5 saltine crackers (15g) | 66 |
| 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.
-
Almond + buttertop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,245 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,3-pentanedione (butter, sweet).
-
Egg + buttertop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together118,967 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
-
Sugar + buttertop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together98,233 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Sugar + almondtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,679 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-penten-3-one (fish, pungent).
-
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
- Eggs
- Set the filling into a firm, sliceable custard as they cook.
- Sweet almonds
- Provide the main body and nutty texture of the pudding.
- Melted butter
- Adds fat for richness and a tender, moist crumb.
- Powdered sugar
- Adds sweetness and helps balance the eggs and almonds.
- Powdered cracker
- Absorbs some liquid and helps give the filling body.
- Citron
- Adds a bright, fragrant citrus note and some chewy texture.
The step that matters
Bake until the custard is just set. Egg proteins set as they heat. Underbaking leaves the filling loose and wet in the middle, while overbaking makes it tough and rubbery. Check for a firm centre rather than relying on a set time.
Swap the almond
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (sugar, egg, butter):
- Almondthe original
- Pecansfits about as well
- Filbertfits less well
- Walnutfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against sugar, egg, butter. 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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