Why it works: Milk and egg are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 18% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 88,785 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Cornstarch Meringue
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a slow oven”. The 300°F (150°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Make the custard
Heat the milk in a saucepan until boiling.
Gradually stir in the cornstarch mixed with a little cold milk.
Once thickened, allow to cool slightly.
Stir in the beaten egg yolks and sugar continuously.
Simmer for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a dish.
Top and bake
Beat the egg whites until stiff and spread over the top.
Bake in a 300°F (150°C) oven until lightly browned.
Garnish and serve
Once cooled, garnish with bits of jelly.
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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Milk + eggtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Milk + sugartop 18% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together77,875 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Egg + sugartop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Milk and sugar barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 77,875 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 the cornstarch thickens into a custard.
- Cornstarch
- Thickens the milk as its starch granules swell with heat, giving the custard body.
- Egg yolks
- Add richness and help set the custard as they cook gently.
- Egg whites
- Whip into a stiff foam that sets and browns to form the meringue topping.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the custard and helps the meringue brown in the oven.
The step that matters
Stirring in the egg yolks. Adding hot custard too quickly or without constant stirring can scramble the egg yolks. Stirring continuously while they are added keeps the custard smooth and evenly thickened.
“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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