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 ↓
Nut and Raisin Filling
Ingredients
Directions
Make the filling
Boil sugar and water until a soft ball forms in cold water.
Pour the syrup into the stiffly-beaten egg whites.
Add nuts and raisins.
Spread the mixture warm between the layers.
Variations
Raisins or nuts alone may be used.
Shellbarks or butternuts are especially enjoyable.
Figs or dates may be substituted for the raisins or for the nuts.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 2 of 3 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Water | not in our table | 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.
-
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
- Sugar
- Dissolves into the boiled syrup, giving sweetness and a firm, set body when cooled.
- Egg whites
- Whipped into a stiff foam that gives the filling its light, airy structure.
- Nuts (in the method)
- Add crunch and a rich, toasty flavour that contrasts with the soft filling.
- Raisins (in the method)
- Add chewy texture and concentrated sweetness throughout the filling.
The step that matters
Boil the sugar and water to a soft ball. Sugar syrup concentration depends on its final temperature. Stopping too early leaves a runny syrup that will not set, while boiling too long makes the filling hard and brittle once cooled.
“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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