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 ↓
Bangor Pudding
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Moisten cracker crumbs with boiling water, and let stand until cool.
Add milk, molasses, egg slightly beaten, and raisins seeded and cut in pieces.
Steam and serve
Turn into a buttered pudding mould, and steam eight hours.
Let stand in mould to cool.
Serve cold with Cream Sauce II.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 6 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Cracker | 5 saltine crackers (15g) | 66 |
| Grape | 1/2 cup (76g) | 62 |
| Molasses | 1 tbsp (20g) | 58 |
| 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.
-
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).
-
Milk + eggtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Milk + molassestop 21% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together7,243 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Egg + raisintop 23% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,556 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Cracker crumbs
- Form the bulk of the pudding and soak up the liquid to set a moist, dense body.
- Egg
- Binds the mixture so it sets firm after steaming.
- Milk
- Adds moisture and softens the crumbs into a custard-like texture.
- Molasses
- Adds dark color and a deep, sweet, slightly bitter flavor.
- Raisins
- Add chewy pockets of concentrated sweetness throughout the pudding.
The step that matters
Steam eight hours. Steaming gently and steadily for the full time lets the egg and crumbs set evenly without drying out. Water must be kept at a steady simmer so the pudding cooks through without becoming waterlogged.
Swap the raisin
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (milk, molasses, egg):
- Vanillafits about as well
- Raisinthe original
- Figfits about as well
- Datesfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against milk, molasses, egg. 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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