Why it works: Almond and raisin are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,781 recipes. Both carry 2-nonanone, which smells fruity, floral. The science ↓
Tutti Frutti Frosting
Ingredients
Directions
Boil the sugar and water until very thick and waxy.
Beat the egg whites to a stiff froth.
Pour the syrup over the egg whites, beating until cool.
Add the chopped almonds, raisins, and sliced citron, mixing well.
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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Almond + raisintop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,781 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonanone (fruity, floral).
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Sugar + raisintop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,481 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Sugar + almondtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,679 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-penten-3-one (fish, pungent).
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Sugar + eggtop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Egg + raisintop 23% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,556 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Egg whites
- Whipped into a stiff foam that gives the frosting its light, airy body.
- Sugar
- Cooked into a thick syrup that sets the frosting firm as it cools.
- Almonds
- Chopped pieces add crunch and a nutty flavour.
- Raisins
- Add chewy sweetness and concentrated fruit flavour.
- Citron
- Adds a candied, citrus-like aroma and gentle tang.
The step that matters
Pouring the syrup into the egg whites while beating. The hot syrup partly cooks and stabilises the whipped egg white foam, so the frosting becomes glossy and stiff. Beating until cool keeps the foam from collapsing or turning runny.
“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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