Name: Molasses Pie
Ingredients: one tablespoonful of melted butter; two teacupfuls of molasses; three eggs; one lemon

Why it works: Butter and lemon are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 16% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 41,227 recipes. Both carry 3-hexenal, which smells apple, fruity. The science ↓

Molasses Pie

Ingredients

one tablespoonful of melted butter
two teacupfuls of molasses
three eggs
one lemon

Directions

Mix two teacupfuls of molasses, one of sugar, three eggs, one tablespoonful of melted butter, one lemon, and nutmeg.
Beat and bake in pastry.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

250Calories

7 gProtein

17 gFat

19 gCarbs

What these numbers assume: 4 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Butter	1 tbsp (14g)	102
Egg	1 large egg (50g)	78
Molasses	1 tbsp (20g)	58
Lemon	juice of 1 lemon (48ml)	12

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

By F. L. Gillette and Hugo Ziemann. Recipe from a historical cookbook (Project Gutenberg).

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.

Butter + lemontop 16% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together41,227 recipes

Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
Butter + eggtop 17% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together118,967 recipes

Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
Egg + lemontop 19% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together44,316 recipes

Shared aroma: (e,e)-2,4-decadienal (fatty, deep fried).
Butter + molassestop 30% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together8,123 recipes

Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Molasses + eggtop 34% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together6,879 recipes

Egg and lemon barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 44,316 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

Molasses: Provides the main sweetness, dark flavor, and moisture for the filling.
Eggs: Set the filling as they cook, giving it structure and a custard-like body.
Melted butter: Adds fat for richness and a smoother, more tender texture.
Lemon: Adds acidity and bright aroma that balance the sweetness of the molasses.