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
Make the paste
Blanch the almonds and pound them into a paste with a few drops of rose water to prevent oiliness.
Work in the powdered sugar until well blended.
Add the egg white and mix until combined.
Rest and use
Let it stand for a few minutes before spreading on cake or cutting into squares to harden.
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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Almond + sugartop 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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Sugar + rosetop 25% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together3,584 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Almond + eggtop 25% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,645 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Sweet almonds
- Provide the main body and rich flavour of the paste, pounded into a fine, pliable base.
- Powdered sugar
- Sweetens the paste and helps it firm up as it stands.
- Egg white
- Binds the almonds and sugar into a cohesive paste that holds its shape.
The step that matters
Pounding the almonds with rose water. Almonds release oil when crushed, so a few drops of liquid help keep the paste from turning oily and greasy. Blanched almonds must be fully ground for a smooth, even texture.
“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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