Why it works: Sugar and nutmeg are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 20% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 23,364 recipes. Both carry 1-penten-3-one, which smells fish, pungent. The science ↓
Cup Custard
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Break an egg into a coffee cup.
Add two teaspoonfuls of sugar.
Beat the mixture thoroughly.
Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of grated nutmeg.
Fill the cup with good sweet milk.
Pour the mixture into a well-buttered cup.
Bake and serve
Place the cup in a pan of boiling water, water reaching nearly to the top of the cup.
Set the pan in the oven.
When the custard is set, it is done.
Eat cold.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Nutmeg | 1 tsp ground (2.2g) | 12 |
| 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 + nutmegtop 20% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together23,364 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-penten-3-one (fish, pungent).
Sugar and nutmeg barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 23,364 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 (in the method)
- Egg proteins set when heated, turning the liquid mixture into a firm custard.
- Milk (in the method)
- Provides the liquid base and moisture that gives the custard its soft, creamy texture.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness and helps give the custard a tender, smooth texture.
The step that matters
Baking in a water bath. Egg proteins set at moderate temperatures, and water reaching nearly to the top of the cup keeps the heat gentle. Too much heat makes the custard curdle, grainy, or watery.
“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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