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 ↓
Sugar Kisses
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.
Make the meringue
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Beat the egg whites until very stiff.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, one teaspoon at a time.
After all the sugar is added, continue beating for 30 minutes for light and crisp texture; beat for up to 1 hour for best results.
Bake
Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake until crisp.
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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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
- Egg whites
- Whipped into foam that gives the cookies their airy structure.
- Powdered sugar
- Stabilizes the whipped whites and adds sweetness and a crisp, dry texture.
The step that matters
Beating the sugar into the whites. Sugar must be added gradually so the whites stay stiff and stable. Adding it too fast or under-beating can cause the foam to collapse, leaving flat, dense cookies.
“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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