Why it works: Sugar and syrup match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,842 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Ankle Breaker
Ingredients
Directions
Combine all ingredients with cracked ice in a cocktail shaker.
Shake well and strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 4 of 5 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry Brandy | 1 cup (138g) | 87 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Rum | 1/2 oz (15ml) | 32 |
| Lime | juice of 1 lime (44ml) | 11 |
| Syrup | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
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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Sugar + syruptop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,842 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Rum + limetop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together412 recipes
Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).
-
Rum + cherry brandytop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl cinnamate (sweet, balsamic).
-
Rum + sugartop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together2,908 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Rum + syruptop 17% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together367 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- 151-proof rum
- Provides the dominant spirit strength and aroma, so the drink is boozy and sharp.
- Cherry brandy
- Adds sweetness and cherry fruit flavor that balances the rum.
- Fresh lime juice
- Adds acidity that brightens the drink and cuts the sweetness.
The step that matters
Shake well. Shaking with cracked ice chills the drink and dilutes it with meltwater, softening the high-proof rum. Too little shaking leaves it harsh and too strong.
Swap the lime
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (rum, cherry brandy, sugar, syrup):
- Vanillafits better
- Pineapplefits better
- Cherryfits better
- Limethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against rum, cherry brandy, sugar, syrup. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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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