489. Main Ingredients and Subordinate Ingredients

Brachos 3:5

The bracha of mezonos is recited when the flour or bread of the five species is a main ingredient and not a subordinate ingredient. If the grain is a subordinate ingredient, the person recites the appropriate bracha for whatever is the main ingredient; this also fulfills one’s obligation for the subordinate ingredient. This is an important concept in brachos: whenever a food contains main and subordinate ingredients, one recites the appropriate bracha for the main ingredient, which also fulfills his obligation vis-à-vis the subordinate ingredient. This is true whether or not the subordinate ingredient is mixed together with the main ingredient.

Brachos 3:6

An example of a subordinate ingredient mixed with a main ingredient is cooked cabbage to which flour has been added to help hold it together. The bracha of mezonos is not recited because the cabbage is the main ingredient and the flour is subordinate. Whenever something is added to help hold food together, or to add aroma or color to a dish, it is considered subordinate. If it was added to add flavor to the dish, it is considered a main ingredient. Therefore, when candy is made by cooking honey and mixing in starch to hold it together, the bracha of mezonos is not recited because honey is the main ingredient and the flour is subordinate.