Why it works: Biscuit and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 17% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,332 recipes. Both carry nonanal, which smells fat, citrus. The science ↓
Jelly Puddings
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a quick oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Make the batter
Scald the milk and pour it over the crumbs.
Beat the mixture until half cold, then stir in the beaten egg yolks.
Fold in the beaten egg whites and finally add the baking soda dissolved in boiling water.
Bake and fill
Fill large cups half full with the batter and bake in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 30 minutes.
Once done, turn out the puddings quickly and make an incision in the side of each.
Pull the sides partly open and add a spoonful of conserve inside.
Pinch the edges to close and serve warm with sweetened cream.
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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Biscuit + milktop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,332 recipes
Shared aroma: nonanal (fat, citrus).
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Milk + eggtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Biscuit + eggtop 27% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,643 recipes
Shared aroma: nonanal (fat, citrus).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Yolks enrich and bind the batter, while whipped whites lift it and give a light, airy texture.
- Biscuit or bread crumbs
- Provide the bulk and body that the warm milk soaks into, forming the pudding's crumb structure.
- Milk
- Softens the crumbs and adds moisture and richness to the batter.
- Baking soda
- Reacts with the batter to produce gas, helping the puddings rise and become tender.
- Sweet jelly, jam, or marmalade
- Adds concentrated sweetness and fruity flavour inside each pudding.
The step that matters
Folding in the egg whites. Whipped whites hold air that makes the pudding light. Folding gently keeps that air in; stirring vigorously deflates the foam and produces a dense, heavy result.
“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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