Why it works: Sugar and vanilla are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 35,032 recipes. Both carry beta-damascenone, which smells apple, rose. The science ↓
Vegan Brownies
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Make the batter
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
Pour in the water, vegetable oil, and vanilla; mix until well blended.
Spread the batter evenly in a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Bake and cool
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top is no longer shiny.
Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 6 of 7 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Chocolate | 1 oz (28g) semisweet | 155 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Vanilla | 1 tsp extract (4ml) | 12 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | 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.
-
Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together35,032 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Cocoa powder + vanillatop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,189 recipes
Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).
-
Flour + vanillatop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together19,241 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Flour + cocoa powdertop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,244 recipes
Shared aroma: phenylacetaldehyde (hawthorne, honey).
-
Sugar + cocoa powdertop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,920 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
- Unbleached all-purpose flour
- Provides the structure that holds the brownies together as they bake.
- White sugar
- Adds sweetness and helps give the brownies a moist, tender crumb.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Supplies the chocolate flavor and deep color of the brownies.
- Vegetable oil
- Adds fat for moisture and a tender, fudgy texture.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas during baking to lift the batter so it rises slightly.
The step that matters
Bake until the top is no longer shiny. Baking too briefly leaves the centre wet and underset, while overbaking dries the brownies out. The shiny top is a visual cue that the batter has set enough.
“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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