Chocolate Pudding

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.

1. Milk + vanillatop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together19,187 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl caproate (fruity, apple peel).

2. Chocolate + vanillatop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together10,020 recipes

   Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).

3. Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together35,032 recipes

   Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).

4. Chocolate + sugartop 13% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together15,404 recipes

   Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

5. Milk + chocolatetop 13% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together9,128 recipes

   Shared aroma: gamma-nonanolactone (coconut, sweet).

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

Milk

Forms the liquid base that thickens into the pudding.

Egg yolks

Add richness and help set the custard as it cooks.

Baker's chocolate

Provides the chocolate flavor and dark color of the pudding.

Cornstarch

Thickens the milk mixture as it heats into a smooth pudding.

Egg whites

Whipped into a meringue that forms the light topping.

The step that matters