Why it works: Peanut and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 27% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,545 recipes. Both carry guaiacol, which smells smoky, sweet. The science ↓
Peanut Nougat
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Shell 1 quart peanuts, remove skins and chop fine.
Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.
Make and set
Put 1 pound sugar in a granite saucepan, put over fire, stir constantly until cooked to a syrup.
Add the nuts at once, pour into a warm buttered tin and mark in small squares.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Peanut | 1 oz (28g) | 161 |
| 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.
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.
-
Peanut + sugartop 27% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together2,545 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Peanuts
- Form the body of the nougat and give it a nutty flavor and chewy bite.
- Sugar
- Cooks to a syrup that binds the nuts together and sets into a firm, sweet candy.
The step that matters
Stirring the sugar until it forms a syrup. Sugar left unstirred over direct heat can scorch or crystallize unevenly on the bottom of the pan. Constant stirring keeps the heat even so the sugar melts and cooks to a smooth syrup that sets properly once the nuts are added.
“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.
You might also like
The free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.
Peanut Candy82 recipes
White Cake431 recipes
Pound Cake373 recipes
Orange Bundt Cake349 recipes