Gingerbread

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. Ginger + allspicetop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together2,620 recipes

   Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

2. Syrup + sugartop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together5,842 recipes

   Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).

3. Butter + milktop 7% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together81,283 recipes

   Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).

4. Butter + flourtop 12% of all pairs
   Smell alikelow
   Cooked together124,287 recipes

   Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

5. Flour + allspicetop 13% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together4,302 recipes

   Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

Butter and flour barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 124,287 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.

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

What each ingredient does

Flour

Provides the structure that holds the gingerbread together as it bakes.

Golden syrup

Adds sweetness and moisture, and helps the crust brown.

Butter

Adds fat for a tender crumb and rich flavour.

Eggs

Bind the dough and add structure as they set in the oven.

Bicarbonate of soda

Reacts to release gas that lifts the batter and helps it rise.

Ground ginger

Provides the warm, spicy aroma that defines the gingerbread.

The step that matters

Swap the allspice

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (syrup, butter, sugar, flour, ginger, egg, milk):

1. Cinnamonfits better
2. Nutmegfits better
3. Cardamomfits better
4. Allspicethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against syrup, butter, sugar, flour, ginger, egg, milk. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.