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 ↓
Buttermilk Pie No. 2
Ingredients
Directions
Combine ¾ cup sugar flavored with lemon, 2 eggs, 2½ tablespoons, ¼ cup flour, 1½ pint buttermilk, and salt.
Mix the mixture and bake in a crust for ½ hour in a moderate oven.
Flavor the meringue with orange.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| 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 + 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
- Eggs
- Set the custard filling and add richness and structure as they bake.
- Buttermilk (in the method)
- Adds moisture and a tangy flavor that balances the sweetness.
- Flour (in the method)
- Thickens the filling so it holds together when sliced instead of runny.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness and helps keep the filling moist and tender.
The step that matters
Bake in a moderate oven. Egg proteins set as the filling heats, so baking too hot or too long can curdle the custard, cause cracking, or leave it watery in the center.
“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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