Why it works: Molasses and raisin 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 ↓
Plum Pudding
Ingredients
Directions
Make the batter
Combine one cup molasses, one cup sweet milk, half a cup suet chopped fine, one pound raisins chopped fine, one teaspoon soda, a little nutmeg and cinnamon.
Dissolve the soda in a little milk, then add flour until the mixture has the consistency of pound cake.
Boil and serve
Boil for four hours in a pudding bag.
Serve with liquid wine sauce.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Grape | 1/2 cup (76g) | 62 |
| Molasses | 1 tbsp (20g) | 58 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
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.
-
Molasses + raisintop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together3,577 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Milk + raisintop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,155 recipes
Shared aroma: decanoic acid (acides aroma).
-
Molasses + milktop 21% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together7,243 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Molasses
- Adds sweetness, dark colour and moisture to the batter.
- Raisins
- Add sweetness, chewy texture and concentrated fruit flavour.
- Suet
- Adds fat that keeps the pudding moist and tender.
- Soda
- Reacts with the acidic molasses to lighten and lift the batter.
- Sweet milk
- Hydrates the flour and batter, giving a soft, moist crumb.
The step that matters
Boil for four hours in a pudding bag. The batter swells as it cooks, so the bag needs room to expand and should not be tied tightly. The water must keep a steady boil for the full four hours so the centre cooks through evenly.
Swap the raisin
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (molasses, milk):
- Vanillafits better
- Figfits about as well
- Raisinthe original
- Applefits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against molasses, milk. 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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