Why it works: Almond and raisin are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,781 recipes. Both carry 2-nonanone, which smells fruity, floral. The science ↓
Tutti Frutti Filling
Ingredients
Directions
Boil water and sugar until thick and waxy.
Pour the mixture over the stiffly beaten egg whites and beat until cool.
Add chopped almonds, raisins, and sliced citron.
Spread immediately.
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.
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.
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Almond + raisintop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,781 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonanone (fruity, floral).
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Sugar + raisintop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,481 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Sugar + almondtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,679 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-penten-3-one (fish, pungent).
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Sugar + eggtop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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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
- Sugar
- Cooks into a thick syrup that sets the filling and gives it sweetness and body.
- Egg whites
- Whipped into a foam that gives the filling its light, airy structure.
- Almonds
- Provide chewy texture and rich nutty flavour throughout the filling.
- Raisins
- Add chewy texture and concentrated sweetness.
The step that matters
Pour the syrup slowly over the egg whites while beating. The sugar syrup must be hot and poured in a steady stream while beating, so it cooks the egg whites and forms a stable, glossy meringue. Pouring too fast or letting it cool can deflate the foam and leave the filling dense.
“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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