Why it works: Egg and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 33% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 50,580 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
To Make a Fondue
5 personsIngredients
Directions
Prepare
Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs.
Beat the yolks in a basin.
Grate or cut the cheese into very thin flakes.
Break the butter into small pieces.
Make the fondue
Add the butter, cheese, pepper, and salt to the yolks and beat the mixture thoroughly.
Whisk the egg whites and stir them lightly into the mixture.
Bake the fondue in a soufflé-dish or small round cake-tin.
Fill the dish only half full, as the fondue should rise very much.
Pin a napkin round the tin or dish.
Serve very hot and very quickly.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| 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.
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.
-
Egg + peppertop 33% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together50,580 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Egg and pepper barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 50,580 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
- Yolks enrich and bind the mixture, while whisked whites trap air so the fondue rises.
- Cheese (in the method)
- Melts into the custard-like base, adding richness and savoury flavour.
- Butter (in the method)
- Adds fat for a smooth, rich texture and flavour.
The step that matters
Stir in the whisked whites lightly. Whites hold air that makes the fondue rise. Folding gently keeps that air in; vigorous stirring deflates the foam, so the fondue will not puff well in the oven.
“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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