Why it works: Raisin and molasses are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 12% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,577 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Suet Pudding
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Combine suet, raisins, molasses, cold water, cream tartar, soda, and flour to make a stiff batter.
Cook and serve
Boil in a pudding bag for three hours.
Serve with sauce.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Grape | 1/2 cup (76g) | 62 |
| Molasses | 1 tbsp (20g) | 58 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| 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.
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. See the original page.
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.
-
Raisin + molassestop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together3,577 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Cream + coffeetop 17% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together2,339 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-heptanol (bitter, floral).
-
Coffee + raisintop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together487 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Coffee + molassestop 18% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together640 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Cream + molassestop 20% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,408 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
- Suet
- Fat that keeps the pudding moist and tender as it cooks.
- Molasses
- Adds sweetness, moisture and a dark colour to the pudding.
- Raisins
- Add chewy texture and concentrated sweetness.
- Cream tartar
- Acid that reacts with the soda to help the pudding rise.
- Soda
- Reacts with the cream tartar to release gas that lightens the batter.
The step that matters
Boiling in the pudding bag. The pudding needs a long, steady boil with the bag fully submerged. Steady heat sets the batter gradually, and if the water drops or stops simmering, the pudding can turn heavy and dense.
Swap the raisin
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (cream, coffee, molasses):
- Vanillafits better
- Raisinthe original
- Strawberryfits about as well
- Figfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against cream, coffee, molasses. 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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