Why it works: Flour and raisin match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,075 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
With Rum Sauce
Ingredients
Directions
Mix the batter
Combine the flour, suet, molasses, raisins, salt, mixed spices, and baking soda in a large bowl.
Make a well in the center and pour in the milk and eggs. Stir until well combined.
Boil and serve
Transfer the mixture to a pudding cloth, tie securely, and boil for 4 hours or longer.
Serve with a transparent sauce made from rum, brandy, or wine.
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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Flour + raisintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together9,075 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Molasses + raisintop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together3,577 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
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Flour + milktop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together78,219 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Raisin + milktop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,155 recipes
Shared aroma: decanoic acid (acides aroma).
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Flour + eggtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together106,462 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Flour and milk barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 78,219 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 main structure that holds the pudding together as it cooks.
- Suet
- Adds fat that keeps the pudding moist and rich in texture.
- Molasses
- Adds sweetness, dark color, and moisture to the pudding.
- Eggs
- Bind the mixture and help give it a set, cohesive structure.
- Baking soda
- Reacts with the molasses's acidity to help the pudding rise and lighten.
The step that matters
Securing the pudding cloth. If the cloth is not tied tightly, water can seep into the pudding during the long boil, making it soggy and diluting its flavor. Leave room for the pudding to expand as it cooks.
“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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