Why it works: Sugar and chocolate are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 13% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 15,404 recipes. Both carry guaiacol, which smells smoky, sweet. The science ↓
4. Chocolate.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the base
Put the liquid and sugar into the saucepan.
Break or cut the chocolate into small pieces and add to the liquid.
Heat the liquid slowly, stirring occasionally but not constantly.
When the liquid is hot, just before it reaches the boiling point, beat vigorously with a wooden spoon or beater.
Heat the liquid with the sugar.
Prepare the chocolate
Grate or shave the chocolate with a knife.
Protect the chocolate from the warmth of the fingers by a piece of paper.
Chill the chocolate and grater in the refrigerator if desired.
Add the chocolate and beat
Just as the liquid is reaching the boiling point, pour in the grated chocolate and beat vigorously.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | 1 oz (28g) semisweet | 155 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
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.
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Sugar + chocolatetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,404 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Chocolate + milktop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,128 recipes
Shared aroma: gamma-nonanolactone (coconut, sweet).
-
Sugar + milktop 18% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together77,875 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Sugar and milk barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 77,875 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
- Chocolate
- Provides the main flavour and cocoa solids that thicken and colour the drink.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness and balances the bitterness of the chocolate.
- Milk
- Supplies the liquid base and creaminess of the drink.
The step that matters
Adding the grated chocolate just below boiling and beating vigorously. Beating while the liquid is hot disperses the chocolate evenly and helps prevent lumps. If the liquid boils or is overheated, milk solids can scorch and the texture can turn grainy.
“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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