Why it works: Flour and molasses are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 16% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 10,429 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Graham Bread
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a steady oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Make the sponge
Make a sponge as for white bread and let it rise until light.
Make the dough
Pour the sponge into a tray with the sifted Graham flour, white flour, cornmeal, and salt.
Mix and knead the dough, adding the molasses for two quarts of flour.
Make the dough very soft and set it to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
Shape and bake
Knead again once it has doubled in size and place it in round pans for the final rise.
Bake in a steady oven at 350°F (175°C) for a little longer than white loaves, watching to prevent burning.
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 + molassestop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,429 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Graham flour
- Provides the coarse, hearty body and nutty flavor that defines this loaf.
- White flour
- Its gluten forms a stretchy network that helps the loaf rise and hold its shape.
- Molasses
- Adds sweetness, moisture, and deep color, and helps the crust brown.
- Cornmeal
- Adds a slightly grainy texture to the crumb.
The step that matters
Watching the bake. Molasses contains sugars that brown quickly, so the crust can scorch before the loaf is fully baked through. Checking the color and adjusting as needed prevents burning.
“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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