Why it works: Brandy and almond are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 17% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,969 recipes. Both carry 2-heptanol, which smells bitter, floral. The science ↓
Good Common Blanc-mange, or Blanc-manger
Ingredients
Directions
Infuse
Infuse for an hour in a pint and a half of new milk the very thin rind of one small lemon, or of half a large lemon, and four or five bitter almonds that have been blanched and bruised.
Add two ounces of sugar (or more if desired) and an ounce and a half of isinglass to the infusion.
Make the blanc-mange
Boil the mixture gently over a clear fire, stirring often until the isinglass is dissolved.
Remove the scum, stir in half a pint (or more) of rich cream, and strain the blanc-mange into a bowl.
Gently move the mixture with a spoon until nearly cold to prevent the cream from settling on the surface.
Before moulding, mix in a wineglassful of brandy by degrees.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Almond | 1 almond (1.2g) | 7 |
| Brandy | 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.
-
Brandy + almondtop 17% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,969 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-heptanol (bitter, floral).
-
Sugar + almondtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,679 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-penten-3-one (fish, pungent).
-
Sugar + brandytop 19% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together11,939 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Sugar and brandy barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 11,939 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
- Isinglass (in the method)
- Sets the liquid into a firm, wobbly gel as it cools.
- Rich cream (in the method)
- Adds fat for a smooth, creamy texture and a richer mouthfeel.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the dessert and balances the flavour of the milk and almonds.
- New milk (in the method)
- Forms the liquid base that the isinglass sets into a custard-like body.
The step that matters
Gently move the mixture until nearly cold. Stirring while the mixture cools keeps the cream evenly dispersed. If it sits still, the fat rises and settles on the surface as the gel begins to set.
Swap the almond
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (sugar, brandy):
- Almondthe original
- Chestnutfits about as well
- Walnutfits less well
- Hazelnutfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against sugar, brandy. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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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