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 ↓
Brown Bread
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a hot oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Make the dough
In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together.
Add the warm water and yeast, then mix well.
Incorporate the molasses and work the dough with plenty of flour.
Shape and bake
Place the dough in greased pans.
Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 1 hour.
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.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
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
- Flour
- Forms the structure of the loaf as its proteins develop into gluten when worked.
- Yeast
- Produces gas that makes the dough rise and gives the loaf an airy crumb.
- Molasses
- Adds sweetness, a deep brown color and a rich, slightly bitter flavor.
- Warm water
- Hydrates the flour so it forms dough and warms the yeast to start its activity.
The step that matters
Working the dough with flour. Flour is added while kneading to control stickiness. Too little leaves a wet, sticky dough that is hard to shape. Too much makes the dough stiff and dense, so the bread bakes up tough and heavy.
“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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