Why it works: Brandy and sherry are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,209 recipes. Both carry ethyl cinnamate, which smells sweet, balsamic. The science ↓
Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderately hot oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the pumpkin
Cut the pumpkin into large pieces and peel them.
Place the pumpkin in cold water over low heat and simmer until tender.
Strain the pumpkin through a colander and then through coarse muslin.
Make and bake the pie
In a bowl, mix the strained pumpkin with the beaten eggs, butter, and sugar until well combined.
Pour the mixture into a pie dish lined with short crust paste.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°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.
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.
-
Brandy + sherrytop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,209 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl cinnamate (sweet, balsamic).
-
Butter + milktop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together81,283 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
-
Butter + sherrytop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,505 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).
-
Milk + sherrytop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,479 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine (cocoa, roasted).
-
Pumpkin + milktop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,404 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Pumpkin
- Forms the bulk of the filling and gives the pie its body and flavor.
- Eggs
- Set when baked, giving the filling its structure and a firm, sliceable texture.
- Butter
- Adds fat for richness and a smooth, tender mouthfeel.
- White sugar
- Sweetens the filling and helps it brown lightly in the oven.
- Sweet milk
- Adds moisture and softness, helping the custard-like filling set smoothly.
- Madeira or sherry
- Adds acidity and aromatic depth to the filling.
The step that matters
Strain the pumpkin thoroughly. Excess water in the pumpkin thins the filling and can keep it from setting firmly when baked. Straining through a colander and then fine muslin removes that moisture, so the egg-based custard sets well and the pie slices cleanly.
Swap the pumpkin
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (egg, butter, milk, sugar, brandy, sherry):
- Vanillafits better
- Figfits better
- Apricotfits better
- Pumpkinthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against egg, butter, milk, sugar, brandy, sherry. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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.
More pumpkin pie recipes
You might also like
Brandy Peaches68 recipes
Brandy Cream21 recipes
Brandy Pudding13 recipes
White Cake431 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.