Why it works: Molasses and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,225 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Sham Mince Pie
Ingredients
Directions
The book gives no oven temperature. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps was added when the recipe was transcribed, as a starting point. The book gives no cooking times either; the times in the steps were added in transcription, so check for doneness rather than trusting the clock.
Prepare
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Make the filling
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, butter, and molasses together until well combined.
Add the crushed crackers, water, vinegar, raisins, and spices, and mix until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Bake
Pour the mixture into a pie crust and bake for 30-40 minutes or until set.
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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Molasses + sugartop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,225 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
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Molasses + raisintop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together3,577 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
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Raisin + sugartop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,481 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Vinegar + sugartop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,806 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Butter + eggtop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together118,967 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
- Eggs
- Bind the filling and help it set into a firm, sliceable custard-like texture when baked.
- Butter
- Adds richness and fat, giving the filling a smoother, softer mouthfeel.
- Molasses
- Provides sweetness, deep flavor, and moisture to the filling.
- Crushed crackers
- Absorb liquid and give the filling body and a bread-like crumb structure.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the sweet, rich flavors of the filling.
The step that matters
Bake until set. Eggs set as they heat, so the pie must bake until the center is firm. Underbaking leaves a runny filling, while overbaking can make eggs curdle and turn the texture rubbery.
Swap the raisin
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (vinegar, butter, molasses, egg, sugar):
- Vanillafits about as well
- Raisinthe original
- Figfits about as well
- Strawberryfits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against vinegar, butter, molasses, egg, sugar. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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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