Why it works: Almond and rose are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,465 recipes. Both carry eucalyptol, which smells eucalyptus, herbal. The science ↓
Almond Paste
Ingredients
Directions
Blend the blanched bitter almonds until smooth.
In a bowl, combine the almond paste with the egg white.
Add rose water and rectified spirits until the mixture reaches a paste consistency.
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 + rosetop 11% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,465 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
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Rose + spirittop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together140 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Almond + spirittop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together143 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
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Almond + eggtop 25% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,645 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
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Egg + rosetop 28% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together2,840 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
- Blanched bitter almonds
- Form the main body of the paste, providing bulk and a nutty, bitter flavour.
- Egg white
- Adds moisture and helps bind the ground almonds into a cohesive paste.
- Rose water
- Contributes a floral aroma that flavours the paste.
The step that matters
Adding the liquids until a paste forms. Ground almonds absorb liquid at different rates. Adding too much rose water or spirits makes the paste slack and sticky, while too little leaves it crumbly. Add gradually and stop when the paste holds its shape.
“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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