Why it works: Molasses and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,225 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Brown Bread
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the batter
Do not scald Indian meal if sweet and fresh; it will be lighter if not scalded.
Thoroughly mingle the salt, soda, and dry meal.
Pour the molasses into the middle of the meal.
Mix with warm water to a smooth batter about as thick as Johnny cake.
When sufficiently light, put the mixture into a well-greased bread boiler.
Do not quite fill it, but leave room for the meal to swell.
Steam and finish
Cover both boiler and steamer and boil steadily for four and a half hours.
At the end of this time, take the boiler out of steamer, remove the lid, and set in a hot oven for half an hour to dry off and form a tender crust.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Molasses | 1 tbsp (20g) | 58 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 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.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
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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Molasses + sugartop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,225 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
- Indian meal
- Provides the main body and structure of the bread.
- Graham meal
- Adds a coarser texture and nutty flavour to the crumb.
- Soda
- Reacts with the molasses to lighten the batter and help it rise.
- Molasses
- Adds sweetness, dark colour and moisture to the bread.
The step that matters
Do not quite fill the boiler. The batter rises and swells as it steams, so leaving room prevents it from overflowing or becoming dense and squashed against the lid.
“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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