Why it works: Meat and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 34% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,866 recipes. Both carry guaiacol, which smells smoky, sweet. The science ↓
Mince Pies
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a hot oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
Roll out the puff paste to about ¼ inch thick.
Line large patty pans with the rolled paste.
Fill with mince meat and cover with more paste.
Brush the top lightly with cold water and sprinkle with castor sugar.
Bake and serve
Bake in a moderately hot oven at 350°F (175°C) for 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve hot or cold.
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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Meat + sugartop 34% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together2,866 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Puff paste
- Forms flaky, layered pastry that puffs and browns in the oven.
- Mince meat
- Provides the rich, sweet-spiced filling that moistens the pastry from within.
- Castor sugar
- Sprinkled on top, it caramelises in the oven for sweetness and a golden finish.
The step that matters
Brush the top lightly with cold water. A light coat of water helps the sugar stick to the top crust and encourages even browning. Too much liquid can make the pastry soggy or stop it rising cleanly.
“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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