An Excellent Trifle

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. Brandy + spirittop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together209 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl benzoate (sweet).

2. Wine + spirittop 9% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together701 recipes

   Shared aroma: isoamyl acetate (banana, fruity).

3. Wine + brandytop 9% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together2,427 recipes

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

4. Cream + sugartop 9% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together43,450 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2,3-butanedione (butter, sweet).

5. Biscuit + creamtop 15% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together1,235 recipes

   Shared aroma: octanal (fat, soap).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Sponge biscuits

Soak up the wine and brandy, forming the soft base layer of the trifle.

Macaroons

Absorb the soaking liquid and add a chewy, almond-flavored texture between the custard layers.

Rich boiled custard

Adds richness and a smooth, creamy layer that moistens the soaked cakes.

Thin cream

Whipped to a light froth, it forms the airy topping over the trifle.

The step that matters