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 ↓
Hard Sauce of Cooking Oil
Ingredients
Directions
Beat oil, sugar, and salt together until light and creamy; add flavoring and stiffly-beaten white of egg, set in a cool place to harden.
Soft or melted coconut butter may be used instead.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| 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.
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
- Egg white
- Stiffly beaten, it adds airy lightness and helps the sauce hold its body.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the sauce and, beaten with the oil, helps give it a light, creamy texture.
- Oil
- Provides the fat base that gives the sauce its richness and smooth texture.
The step that matters
Beating the oil, sugar, and salt until light and creamy. Beating incorporates air and dissolves sugar into the fat, so the mixture stays smooth and light. Under-beating leaves a dense, grainy sauce that will not set as intended.
“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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