Ambrosia

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. Cocoa + sherrytop 12% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together32 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (green bell pepper, earthy).

2. Orange + cocoatop 12% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together53 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).

3. Orange + sherrytop 13% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together823 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethyl isobutyrate (fruity, ethereal).

4. Orange + winetop 14% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together2,046 recipes

   Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).

5. Cocoa + winetop 18% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together16 recipes

   Shared aroma: 3-ethylphenol (must).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Oranges

Provide the fresh, juicy fruit base and bright acidity that cuts the sweetness.

Sugar

Adds sweetness and draws some juice from the oranges, softening the layers.

Grated cocoa-nut

Adds texture and a mild, sweet coconut aroma between the orange layers.

Swap the cocoa

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (orange, sugar, sherry, wine):

1. Almondfits better
2. Chestnutfits about as well
3. Cocoathe original
4. Beansfits about as well

Fit is the average pairing score against orange, sugar, sherry, wine. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.