Black Plum Pudding

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.

1. Raisin + flourtop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together9,075 recipes

   Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

2. Currant + brandytop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together3,057 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl cinnamate (sweet, balsamic).

3. Butter + milktop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together81,283 recipes

   Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).

4. Raisin + curranttop 10% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together6,180 recipes

   Shared aroma: gamma-nonanolactone (coconut, creamy).

5. Butter + flourtop 12% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together124,287 recipes

   Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

Butter and flour barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 124,287 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

Flour

Provides the bulk and structure that holds the pudding together as it cooks.

Eggs

Bind the mixture and add richness and structure as they set during cooking.

Suet

Adds fat that keeps the pudding moist and gives a rich, tender texture.

Butter

Adds fat and flavour, contributing richness and a tender crumb.

White sugar

Adds sweetness and helps soften the texture of the pudding.

Raisins

Add sweetness, chewiness and moisture to the finished pudding.

Swap the currant

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (raisin, butter, sugar, flour, egg, milk, brandy):

1. Vanillafits better
2. Figfits better
3. Apricotfits about as well
4. Currantthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against raisin, butter, sugar, flour, egg, milk, brandy. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.