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 ↓
Molasses Candy
Ingredients
Directions
In a large pot, combine the molasses, butter, and sugar.
Boil the mixture rapidly until it reaches the desired consistency.
Just before removing from heat, stir in the baking soda.
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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Butter + sugartop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together98,233 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
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Molasses + buttertop 30% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together8,123 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
- Molasses
- Provides the main body, dark color, and deep flavor, and its sugars thicken as the mixture boils.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness and helps the mixture set firm as it cooks and cools.
- Butter
- Adds fat for a softer bite and a richer, smoother mouthfeel.
- Baking soda
- Reacts with the acidic molasses to release gas, creating bubbles that lighten the candy's texture.
The step that matters
Stirring in the baking soda. Baking soda reacts with the acid in molasses and releases gas quickly, so it should be stirred in just before removing the pot from heat. Adding it too early lets the foam rise and collapse, leaving a denser candy.
“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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