Why it works: Sugar and lemon are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 18% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 53,532 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Egg Lemonade
Ingredients
Directions
Beat the egg mixture
Beat the egg until lemon-colored and thick.
Add sugar and beat again.
Add lemon juice and beat again.
Add milk and beat again.
Serve
Pour into a delicate glass, grate nutmeg over the top, and serve.
If the stomach is very delicate, use only the egg white.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 2 of 3 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| 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.
-
Sugar + lemontop 18% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together53,532 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Sugar and lemon barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 53,532 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
- Egg (in the method)
- Beaten until thick, it traps air and gives the drink a foamy, light body.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness and helps stabilize the beaten foam.
- Lemon juice
- Adds sharp acidity that brightens the flavor.
- Milk (in the method)
- Adds fat and creaminess, softening the tartness of the lemon.
The step that matters
Beat the egg until lemon-colored and thick. Beating incorporates air into the egg, creating foam that gives the drink its body and texture. If the egg is under-beaten, the drink stays thin and watery, and the later additions will not blend into a light, smooth mixture.
“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.
You might also like
Lemon Whey33 recipes
Lemon Wine31 recipes
Lemon Squash10 recipes
Lemon Essence8 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.