Why it works: Flour and butter are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 12% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 124,287 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
Fried Bake
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the dough
In a large bowl sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cut in the butter and add the sugar. Mix with a fork until well combined.
Add enough water to make a dough and knead gently.
Cut the dough into 4-6 pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
Let stand for a few minutes.
Fry
Flatten the balls of dough to about inch thick.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to coat the pan.
Cook the dough until brown.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 6 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| 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.
-
Flour + buttertop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together124,287 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Flour + sugartop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together92,116 recipes
Shared aroma: phenylacetaldehyde (hawthorne, honey).
-
Butter + sugartop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together98,233 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Flour and butter barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 124,287 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
- Flour
- Forms the structure of the dough once water is added and kneaded.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas in the hot oil, helping the bake puff and lighten.
- Butter
- Cut into the flour to add fat, tenderness and flavour to the dough.
- Sugar
- Adds a little sweetness and helps the surface brown in the pan.
The step that matters
Cook the dough until brown. Frying over medium heat needs enough oil and steady heat; too hot browns the outside before the centre cooks, while too cool makes the bake greasy and heavy.
“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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