Mock Mince-meat, Without Meat

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.

1. Raisin + cinnamontop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together5,390 recipes

   Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).

2. Cider + vinegartop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together3,431 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol (smoky, clove).

3. Sugar + cinnamontop 10% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together30,779 recipes

   Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

4. Molasses + sugartop 11% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together9,225 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).

5. Molasses + cinnamontop 11% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together4,928 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).

Sugar and cinnamon barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 30,779 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

Raisins

Provide chewy body and natural sweetness to the filling.

Brown sugar

Adds sweetness and a rich, caramel-like depth to the filling.

Molasses

Contributes dark color, moisture and deep, robust flavor.

Beaten egg

Binds the filling and helps it set as it cooks.

Rolled cracker crumbs

Thicken the mixture and give body in place of traditional meat.

Butter

Adds richness, fat and smooth mouthfeel to the filling.

Swap the raisin

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (molasses, sugar, cider, vinegar, butter, egg, cinnamon):

1. Applefits better
2. Vanillafits about as well
3. Figfits about as well
4. Raisinthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against molasses, sugar, cider, vinegar, butter, egg, cinnamon. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.