Why it works: Egg and sugar 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 ↓
Prune Pudding
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderate oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the prunes
Stew the prunes until tender, then let them cool.
Drain all the juice from the prunes and mash them finely.
Sweeten the mashed prunes to taste.
Fold in the egg whites
Beat the egg whites to a stiff froth.
Stir the beaten egg whites into the prunes.
Flavor the mixture as desired.
Bake
Bake in a moderate oven at 350°F (175°C) for 12 to 15 minutes.
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.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
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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Egg + sugartop 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
- Prunes
- Provide the main body, moisture and fruity flavor of the pudding.
- Egg whites
- Trap air when beaten, giving the pudding its light, airy structure as it sets.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness and balances the tartness of the prunes.
The step that matters
Beat the egg whites to a stiff froth.. Stiff egg white foam traps air that expands in the oven and then sets, giving lift. Under-beaten whites collapse and deflate the pudding, while over-beaten whites turn grainy and dry, so stop once the froth holds firm peaks.
“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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