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 ↓
Cornstarch Pudding
Ingredients
Directions
Make the custard
Put the milk in a custard kettle, and when it reaches the boiling point, add sugar.
Add cornstarch dissolved in a little cold milk.
Add the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth.
Beat and let cook a few minutes.
Set and serve
Pour into cups, fill about half full, and set in a cool place.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 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.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
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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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
- Cornstarch
- Thickens the milk into a smooth, set pudding as it heats.
- Eggs
- Whipped whites add lightness and an airy texture to the pudding.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness to the pudding.
The step that matters
Cooking until thickened. Cornstarch granules swell and thicken only when heated, so the pudding must cook long enough after the starch goes in. Too little cooking leaves it thin and runny, while the egg whites are added to stay light.
“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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