Brownie Caramel Pecan Bars

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. Chocolate + vanillatop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together10,020 recipes

   Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).

2. Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together35,032 recipes

   Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).

3. Butter + flourtop 12% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together124,287 recipes

   Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

4. Vanilla + flourtop 12% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together19,241 recipes

   Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

5. Sugar + chocolatetop 13% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together15,404 recipes

   Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

Sugar and vanilla barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 35,032 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

Eggs

Bind the batter and help give the brownies their set, structure-holding crumb.

All-purpose flour

Provides the structure that holds the brownie batter together as it bakes.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melted into the batter to add chocolate flavor and fudgy richness; unmelted chips add pockets of chocolate.

Butter or margarine

Adds fat for richness and a tender texture in the brownie.

Sugar

Sweetens the batter and helps give the brownies a moist, tender crumb.

Baking soda

Helps the brownie rise slightly and brown during baking.

The step that matters