Why it works: Sugar and vanilla are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 35,032 recipes. Both carry beta-damascenone, which smells apple, rose. The science ↓
Omelette Souffle
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a very moderate oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat vigorously for 5-6 minutes.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites until very stiff.
Make the soufflé
Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture, being careful to maintain the fluffiness.
Transfer the mixture to a slightly buttered metal dish and smooth the top to form a dome.
Bake and serve
Bake in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 12 minutes or until set. Serve immediately.
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.
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 + vanillatop 8% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together35,032 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Vanilla + buttertop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,050 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Egg + buttertop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together118,967 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
-
Sugar + buttertop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together98,233 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Egg + sugartop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Sugar and vanilla barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 35,032 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
- Egg whites
- Beaten until stiff, they trap air and give the omelette its light, airy structure.
- Egg yolks
- Add richness and flavor, and their proteins help set the mixture as it bakes.
- Powdered sugar
- Sweetens the mixture and dissolves easily into the yolks for a smooth base.
The step that matters
Folding the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Folding gently keeps the air bubbles in the whipped whites intact. Stirring or deflating them makes the soufflé dense and flat instead of light and risen.
“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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